How to be Successful at Work

No Matter What your Job is

Nobody wakes up in the morning and thinks to themselves “I want to be a bad employee today.” Sometimes we don’t do everything we can to be our best, but I would say that in general, that is the intention.

So how do we do it? How can we succeed at our job, no matter what it is?

Let’s break it down into 5 steps:

1. Physical Health

I don’t know about you, but I tend to be very lazy. Not only do I avoid physical activity, but I eat horribly, and my overall productivity diminishes. In turn, this makes me less motivated to do better the next day- it’s a vicious cycle. The days I feel the most productive and successful are the days that I eat healthily, drink water, and do some type of physical activity. Sometimes this means going to the gym and working out, and sometimes it is as simple and running up and down my stairs to work on my endless supply of laundry.

Recently, I have added cycling to my weekly routine. A few nights a week, I ride the same 6-mile route and track my progress. Not only does this physical activity improve my physical health, but the act of pushing myself through barriers to keep going also exercises my mental health.

2. Mental Health

Mental health is not as visible as physical health, but it is just as important. In many ways, the strength of your mind correlates with the strength of your body. A healthy diet and exercise will improve your mental state.

However, sometimes that is not enough. According to John Hopkins Medicine, “An estimated 26% of Americans ages 18 and older — about 1 in 4 adults — suffers from a diagnosable mental disorder in a given year.”

Depending on your environment, mental health disorders may be looked at as fake or as an excuse. You need to block out other people’s commentary and seek professional help if you need it.

This help can come in many forms, but talking to your primary doctor or a counselor is a good first step. I was at a point where I couldn’t go to work without breaking down, or go to sleep without pacing the house in tears for hours. I brought my concerns to my doctor’s attention and started taking a low dose of Lexipro for my anxiety and depression.

My mental health is a journey, and I still struggle. However, balancing the chemicals in my brain has made it possible for me to focus on living my life.

3. Organization

Physical Clutter

Now that we are healthy, let’s take a look at our work environment. I don’t know about you, but I cannot be productive in a messy space. If you work in an office, keeping your space clean can be fairly simple. Before your work begins, and during downtime, clean and organize your space.

If you work from home it can be a little more complicated.

I have spent so many workdays getting distracted by household chores that need to get done. I have spent many work meetings washing dishes or doing laundry.

While multitasking can be a beneficial skill, I find that separating work and life during business hours can really keep you on track. To do this, I use the time before and after work (when I would normally be driving) to ensure that the dishes are done and the house is picked up.

This helps in two ways:

• It keeps the house in a manageable state.
• I feel like I have done something productive and I am more ready to take on my workday.

Digital Clutter

With physical distractions out of the way, there is one obstacle that can still stand in your way. If you work in an office position where you deal with email, calendars, and a million documents, dedicate some time every day (if possible) or every week to get back to a clean and organized desktop.

• Set aside time to go through your inbox. Organize important emails into folders, and create rules to direct them in the future.
• Use your calendar or a document to keep track of how you spend your time. This will help you with your productivity.
• Create a filing system for all documents, and stick to it. A messy desktop can be just as much of a hindrance as a mess on your literal desktop.

4. Positivity

This may sound like a cliche, but a positive attitude can absolutely determine your path for the day, and possibly your whole career. In an environment where you physically work around other people, attitudes whether good or bad are contagious. This means that you hold the power to motivate and inspire the people around you.

It doesn’t really get more complex than that.

Here is an experiment for you to try:

For one day, challenge yourself to only react positively to everything. You will be amazed at the change in your stress level, and that of everyone around you.

5. Purpose

Last but not least, understand your purpose. This can mean knowing your impact on your company, personal goals, or even your reason for having a job in the first place (your home, family, or future).

All of the other steps are useless if you don’t believe you have a purpose. Spend some time figuring out what yours is.

When you put these five steps together, you can be successful at anything you do. So go out there and do your best!

Sources:

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/mental-health-disorder-statistics