Whether you like it or not your career takes up more than 1/3rd of your life. Most people work at least 40 hours each week. This is why career success lies so heavily in the other aspects of your life. If you are not fully satisfied with your success in the workplace, this can negatively impact your entire self-worth.
This is why it’s so important to gain control of your career success in order to gain control of your self-improvement.
1. Ask questions – in order to get ahead, you need to know what you are doing and what you can do differently. You need to take control of your career and ask the right questions. Talk to your co-workers and your bosses about moving up and gaining control of your job.
2. Determine your skills – when it comes to self-improvement in the workplace, you need to determine what makes you a good worker. What thrills you? What interests you? What are you good at? Perhaps you are a good writer; perhaps you are a great salesperson. You need to find dig deep within yourself and determine your strengths, which will lead to a dream career.
3. Prioritize – at work it’s important to prioritize what needs to be done now and later. It can be easy to do the simple tasks first and push the harder tasks to another day. However, this is going to just bring you more stress in the end. To improve your work schedule, you need to set deadlines and meet these.
4. Keep a schedule – many people carry around a diary or a calendar of their meetings and things that need to be done. This is one of the most important things you can do to keep control of your tasks and make the day run smoother. Do not just schedule work-related events; keep one step ahead of all your daily chores and errands. If you see what needs to be done, the workload can be a lot less overwhelming. Just take it one step at a time.
5. Make a To Do list– at home and on the job, To-do lists are one of the most effective ways to get things done. Make a list of everything, from cleaning the house and laundry to writing that report and making the presentation at work. One of the best things about To-Do lists is that you get to check off each item once it is finished. Seeing what you have accomplished throughout the day with checked To-Do lists is liberating and therapeutic. It can improve your self-confidence and you are stimulating motivation to get the job done.
6. Accept your weaknesses – You should accept that you are not perfect and work towards strengthening them everyone has weaknesses. While some people cannot spell without a computer spell check, others are terrified of public speaking. Accept your weaknesses and then work towards strengthening them. You may need to attend a course, put in extra hours, and ask for help from your superiors, but all of these things can improve your self-esteem and break the barriers of your weaknesses.
7. Stay away from social media – Attention Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram users- step away from social networking for your own sake! For those who work in an office environment where you are constantly on the computer (and the internet), it can be a challenge to stay away from fun distractions such as games and chatting with friends. You need to block these sites to stop yourself from using them at work. This is not good for your self-improvement, and, if your employer catches you, it also won’t be good for your career. Other distractions come from gossipy coworkers and text messages. Steer clear of these distractions to improve your work ethic. There’s a time and a place for distractions- it’s called ‘after work.’ I would also state that in my opinion even outside work for your mental health cut down social media usage.
8. Take baby steps – big projects are hard to tackle. However, the hardest part is always starting it. If you have to tackle a big project, break it up into smaller sections. A book is really only several different chapters. Think about this when you need to tackle your next big project. This can make the project a lot less overwhelming and greatly increases your chance of success.
9. Relax, once in a while – it’s okay to take a few minutes during the day for yourself, as long as it is not stopping your productivity. Many people can motor through a 10-hour working day without a break; most people, however, cannot. Use your breaks to their full potential while relaxing and recharging.
10. Take advantage of your peak time – everyone has a certain time during the day when they get the most work done. For many, this is in the morning. For others, this may be after lunch. Take advantage of your peak time by working through the hard tasks then.
11. Stop procrastinating – it’s so easy to procrastinate. But it’s also so bad for your work ethic to do so. Setting daily goals, using ‘To Do’ lists and small rewards for a job well done can all beat procrastination before it beats you.
12. Never stop learning – you are never too old to continue your education. Many people assume that they chose one career path and are stuck with this choice. Not true, especially not anymore. There are so many different ways to increase your education including online courses, distance education, and night classes. Book clubs and other clubs can also increase your brainpower and help with self-improvement.
We hope you enjoyed these tips that you can take into your day to day work