Feeling lazy and can’t get things done? No problem. I will take care of this.
Today, I’ll give you some tips to help you distinguish yourself at work (and stand out from the crowd) positively. Once you’ve assimilated and practiced these concepts and behaviors, you’ll get results in several other areas of your life! WOW!
When you’re at work, it’s to work! Simple, right? Anything that is not closely tied to job-related tasks is to be avoided:
- Texting
- Personal calls (other than emergencies, of course)
- Internet (other than sites related to your work)
- Personal discussions with colleagues
- Playing games on your cell
- Napping or hooking up with a colleague in the bathroom
- Don’t take anything home that belongs to your workplace
By following the tips listed above, you will already be more efficient than the typical employee who wastes a lot of time with these behaviors that have quickly come to be the scourge of the workplace. It’s disheartening to see people waste so much time. By avoiding these “inappropriate” behaviors, you’ll always be ahead of the rest, without even putting in much effort, because employers like employees who stand out for their professionalism, not by their “slacking off.” Even if everyone in the office does the behaviors listed above, DO NOT FOLLOW THE CROWD. If they all jump off a bridge are you going to join them?
Well, you say, sending a little text message to my girlfriend isn’t such a big deal, right? MAJOR MISTAKE, and here’s why: it is the accumulation of “little things,” that become a problem in the workplace. In addition, you develop very bad habits at work (which may also rub off on your activities in general) that you justify with “it’s just a little thing…”. Those “2 minutes” multiplied by five, ten or 15 “inappropriate” behaviors add up to 10 to 30 minutes lost per day! Employers do not like that – not at all.
– 2 text messages to your girlfriend (or a couple more than two, right?)
– A text message to a friend about weekend plans (and what about all those other
friends?)
– A call to mom to see if she can iron your beige shirt (and what about Dad? Bro? Sis?…)
– 4 minutes to tell Paul (a colleague) about your weekend trip
– Another 4-minutes telling Raoul about the same trip (and how about all your other colleagues?)
– 3 minutes on the internet to find a new restaurant (and you know it won’t just be 3 minutes!)
I repeat, the worst part about it, besides the behavior itself, is the justification that you do when you try to minimize your inappropriate behavior. This leads to very bad habits.
If you want to talk on the phone or with colleagues, text, browse the net, etc., there are times for that and they are all outside working hours!
The second major mistake to do in the workplace is to believe that your employer will not know if you’re doing “little things in secret.” Employers are rarely oblivious, and they appreciate candor and honesty. If asking your supervisor for permission to call your mother and ask her to iron your beige shirt seems silly and inappropriate, it is a clue that what you’re about to do is an inappropriate behavior.
You want to call your mother to check in on your father who just had an operation? Your employer will understand that kind of thing, no worries. If your employer does not understand, change jobs, RIGHT AWAY!
The third mistake is to believe that there isn’t a mole in your workplace. There is always someone out there who’s ready to throw their co-workers under the bus to get recognition from their employer, so be careful. If the “mole” is just carrying out his duties with the company, there is no problem since he was hired for this specific purpose – his reputation and integrity are not jeopardized. Otherwise, don’t think that you’ll get privileges by tattling. All you do is tarnish your reputation and violate your integrity. Definitely frowned upon. Of course, the employer will enjoy hearing your juicy stories, but at the same time, he’ll discredit you mentally while enjoying your big mouth. This isn’t good at all.
“Moles” are generally friendly people that are pleasant to talk to because they listen to you and understand you. It’s a trap – be careful!
In life, everything is a matter of balance. Doing a good job at work doesn’t mean you’ll be a slave to everyone in the office. That said, nothing prevents you from doing a task for an overworked colleague if yours are complete. In the same vein, if the colleague needs help with a menial task, don’t say no just because the task is boring! Better to perform a boring task to do nothing. You get paid to work so… work!
You have to perform the tasks assigned to you without arguing or whining.
The more you demonstrate that you are a “team player,” the more you will be noticed positively by the employer. Some employers will flat out tell you that you did a particularly good job on something. Other employers don’t tell you, but keep careful track in their internal logbook (their head). Even when you think your employer isn’t noticing the effort your giving to their company, you are mistaken – he sees it.
- Work is similar to school. The more you are conscientious and diligent in your studies, the more you will get good results.
- The qualities sought by employers are:
- Good attendance
- Punctuality
- Following instructions, policies, workplace regulations
- Cheerfulness
- Professionalism
- Integrity
- Reliability
- Discretion
- Good judgment, honesty
- Politeness and courtesy
This list is not exhaustive but it is the basis of “ideal” employee behavior. Some workplaces require specific qualities. Medicine is a good example. Anyone who wants to be a doctor has to began studying general medicine (the foundation) before specializing in a particular area; cardiology, dermatology, neurology, etc.
To re-cap:
- Religiously avoid “inappropriate” and “unjustifiable” behavior
- Do not take your employer or other employees for fools
- Only worry about pleasing your supervisor
- Do not speak ill of your colleagues; it’s cheap, even when they deserve it
- Perform the required tasks without grumbling or whining