7 Tips to Boost Your Career
We always try to make improvements to some aspects of our career. It takes time. However, it’s also good to make the alternative case that there is nothing wrong with a quick fix that you can implement right now.
A quick approach can provide you with immediate positive results. The authors and contributors from 99u.adobe.com have rounded up seven of our top productivity tips to give you a head start on your next work move. Here the most interesting extracts from the article posted in their blog:
1)Be No. 1 in the office
Start small. Break free from the people shuffling into the office starting at 9 a.m. by being the first person at work just once a week.
You know, the kind of early arrival where you are the one turning on the lights. The easiest way to start is to aim for Fridays.
If you tell yourself that you can leave work by 4 p.m. on Friday if you complete your to-do list, chances are good you’ll be done by 3:59.
2) Replace your to-do list
All of us know the panicked sensation when it’s not about the number of things we have to do, but our ability to sort out the priority and timing of each task.
Try to avoid the situations you feel like you’re drowning in documents by replacing your to do-list with a production calendar. Only worry about the tasks of the current month. This way you place a boundary on what to worry about, which should, hopefully, make it much easier to keep a clear head.
3) Help yourself and them
The bigger the company, the more meetings you’ll have to tackle. To get a lot of people moving in the same direction, communication is required. But when you add shared calendars into the mix, things get messy.
Each time anyone adds a context-less meeting to your calendar, deny the request and ask “Happy to offer insight, but did you have anything specific you were facing or that we can help with? It would help me contextualize how I can be most useful.”
4) Run that back
There is a sub-genre of productivity enthusiasts that like to obsess over the best music to listen to maximize creativity. While most creativity comes from novelty, here’s an idea: Only listen to stuff you know very well.
5) The new routine is your old routine
Instead of trying to create a new routine, add to your old one. In the morning, preferably. Whether you begin your day with coffee or a jog, take 10 to 15 minutes afterwards and copy your new habit on one you already have.
Adding a small amount of time to your morning habits allows you to accomplish important tasks without significantly disrupting your already rock-solid routine.
6) Network in your network
Think of your traditional networking advice: to attend conferences, meetups, school events, etc.
Rather than hoping to get your next big break from someone you don’t know, connect with your peers first. Often times, you don’t even think to ask your friend for help getting a job because it can be awkward and uncomfortable. Your friends and family can get you that next big break if you ask them.
People won’t know how to help you if you don’t know what you’re asking for. Take initiative in your career: Ask yourself what is it that you’re really looking for.
7) Gratitude practice
When you adopt a daily gratitude practice, you increase energy level, lift stress, and cultivate more alertness, determination, and optimism.
Thank at least one person you work with every day. And that’s it. Expressing gratitude increases morale for both parties. It also deepens connections within your network.
What do you think about these tips? Will they help to give your career a boost?