One of the reasons why interviews even exist is so employers can get a sense of your work ethic from the way you describe your past work. You want to make sure this work ethic is maintained anywhere you go as it a) leaves a good impression and b) can create better opportunities for you. Here are five ways you can maintain a good work ethic in any job environment.
1) Focusing on your work
Take your work seriously and always try your best. More importantly, avoid taking shortcuts that you think can save time but you know you wouldn’t tell your manager. During work time, work-related tasks should be your primary concern, however, it is vital to balance your work-life and non-work life so you are always performing your best wherever you are.
2) Knowing and minimizing your distractions
We all have distractions, but work breaks exist for a reason. Whether that be social media, texting your friends, watching TV, or reading the news, save it for when you aren’t working. Moreover, be persistent if people try to pull you away from your work. Your colleagues might try to unintentionally distract you for long periods of time and if you see this being a common occurrence, tell them you have work to finish, but would love to catch up on the lunch hour or outside of work.
3) Understanding how long your work will take
It is common to not reach your full productivity, work speed, or creativity immediately after you start working. Take the time to understand how long your work tasks take you and plan your days accordingly so you can maximize your productivity.
4) Avoiding mistakes getting the best of you
We all make mistakes. Literally, we all do. However, those who have the best work ethics can learn from their mistakes and move on. If you allow your mistakes to ruin your progress at work by consuming your brain, your desire to get the job done will evaporate. Remember that great things will happen if you embrace failure. We are all imperfect, but that is what makes us brilliant.
5) Measuring your work ethic against others
Instead of being “jealous” that your colleague may be able to skip into work ready for the day ahead, take a step back and measure your performance against theirs! There is obviously something that’s different - this may be their mindset, attitude towards their role or lifestyle. If you can recognize what you’re not doing, you'll know where to improve. This extends beyond just work itself. For example, if you’re noticing you’re unmotivated to go to work each morning but your colleague is always in a good mood, ask them what drives this. You never know, you might just learn a thing or two!
I hope this helps to enhance your work ethic on the job as successfully maintaining this will keep you on track for personal and professional development opportunities and unparalleled career growth.