You didn't specify your gearing, but a cassette change may be quite useful if you currently have an 11-3x.
Going to a 12-23 or 12-25/6 (or 13-2x)will give you much closer spaced gears and allow you to maintain a more EFFICIENT cadence.
For uphill, you can switch to the granny ring and actually use it.

http://www.amazon.com/SRAM-PG850-8-S.../dp/B003WOQ5DM