Positive Job Habits

Talent alone won’t help you succeed at work. To get ahead, work on establishing the following work habits:

• Keep clutter to a minimum. Schedule a few minutes each day to get rid of junk mail and old papers that build up. Set aside 15 minutes once a week to do a thorough sweep of clutter in your workspace.
• Minimize distractions. If you procrastinate by talking on the phone, set a time limit for each call. Also, learn to tactfully get rid of people who interrupt your work.
• Schedule steps towards your goals. Rather than only having a to-do list of daily tasks, also create a to-do list of items that move you towards key goals.
• Know your style. Don’t work against your inner nature. Schedule your toughest work for the times when you have the most energy.
• Seize the moment. Gather simple tasks that need to be done and keep them by the phone. Then if you are put on hold, start working on them.
• Emulate someone who is successful. Find a person who is succeeding at juggling school or family with work and ask how they do it. Notice how they behave at work.
• Make accomplishing tasks fun. Challenge yourself to get a certain amount of work done in a given time, or see if you can get through a difficult task without making mistakes. Reward yourself for success.