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 on
the other aspects of your life. If you are not fully satisfied with your
success in the work place, 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
work place, 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 your stimulate motivation to get the job done.
6. Accept your weaknesses and work towards strengthening themeveryone
has weakness. 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 those distractions- Attention Facebook, MySpace,
and MSN users- step away from the social networking! For those who
work in an office environment where you are constantly on the
computer (and internet), it can be a challenge to stay away from fun
distractions such as games and chatting to 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
co-workers and text messages. Steer clear of these distractions to
improve your work ethics. There’s a time and a place for distractionsit’s
called ‘after work.’
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
but relaxing and recharging.
10. Take advantage of your peak time- everyone has a certain time
during the day that 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 sooooo easy to procrastinate. But it’s also
sooooo bad for your work ethics 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 selfimprovement.