Is your inspiration and motivational drive lacking this morning? Maintaining a positive and determined mentality while confined to working at home with the world in unrest can seem impossible.
Recently, I came across an article published by Forbes that stuck with me, as it succinctly summarized five key “power skills” to focus on during the pandemic. Reading this article, I felt inspired to reflect on my daily routine and consider how I could integrate these practices into my life.
Below are five inspiring takeaways from the Forbes’ piece. I hope learning more about these tips and tricks helps you find new motivation in your personal and professional life. Couple these “power” tips with a cup of coffee every morning and you’ll be on your way to excelling in your career.
Achieve Everything with Excellence
Taking on more than you can handle will leave you feeling stretched too thin. In addition, overcommitting usually does more harm than good and won’t position you to achieve long-lasting success. Instead, strategize and make certain you have the time required to deliver excellent work. This will enable you to deliver more valuable results and feel proud of the high-quality materials and projects you create.
One method I’d recommend implementing immediately to properly schedule your days is “timeboxing.” Check out Megan’s post, “The Art of Timeboxing: How Budgeting Time Can Boost Productivity,” to see how you can visually represent your schedule and plan your workload for the week.
Be Your Own Advocate
So, you’ve done an excellent job but haven’t received the recognition you deserve? Although acknowledgment at work won’t always appear in the form of a gold star, it’s important to recognize your own self-worth and advocate for yourself.
If you want to excel in your career, learn how to verbally advocate for your goals and the hard work you’ve put forth to achieve them. It can be hard to let go of preconceived notions that we sound arrogant or obnoxious when we advocate for ourselves, but once you do people will start acknowledging you for your personal drive and success. This can turn into a chain reaction across your team, establishing a work culture built on supporting and celebrating the growth of others.
You can take this a step further by communicating the different areas in which you want to gain expertise and how those around you might support you through, for instance, classes, reading or new assignments. Next time you’re in a meeting with your manager, come prepared with a few skills that you’d like to improve.
Grow Your Network and Connect
It’s crucial to build your personal network in today’s society. Eighty percent of jobs are filled through personal and professional connections. Spend time seeking out meaningful connections with co-workers and those who hold similar interests with you. It will not only be fun and educational but allow you to participate in relationships that can be mutually beneficial.
One easy way to grow your network with like-minded individuals is to look on LinkedIn, search for those in your area of expertise who have similar interests, and connect. With more than 610 million members, you’re bound to find someone who is looking for a mutually beneficial relationship in the same field. Having the skills and confidence to build and remain strongly connected within your network isn’t easy, but it will help you gain outside perspective and mentorship while opening new doors.
Embrace a Helpful Mindset to Support Your Team
All too often we can find ourselves limited to a self-centered lifestyle. Broadening the horizon to see how your skills, abilities and time can support others will take your career to a whole new level. Try to make it a habit each day to listen to the challenges your team is facing and consider how you can help find solutions. While you don’t want to stretch yourself out too thin – as I spoke to in the first tip – always think about how you can support your team. In turn, you’ll boost your confidence and direct your attention to challenges that allow you to build a problem-solving reputation.
Step Out of Your Comfort Zone
As the wise Eleanor Roosevelt once said, “Do one thing every day that scares you.” Although it can be easy to stay in your comfort zone and cruise through each day, not learning will hold you back and affect the trajectory of your career. Instead, spend time each day to determine what you’ll do to get out of your zone and into the uncomfortable.
Whether it’s asking for a new project or learning a new technology, be willing to become a student and learn new skills. Check out the thousands of online classes available on Coursera or edX to advance your career. It’s in the challenging moments when true growth and development occurs.
While adopting these five tips won’t automatically have your manager knocking at the door with a promotion in hand, it will move your career forward. By being consistent and thoughtful with your actions, you’ll begin to improve your work, develop new skills and advance your career. Life is never predictable but focusing on continual self-improvement will pay off in the long run and pave the way towards a successful career.