Sometimes the normal eight-hour-a-day work routine just doesn't give you what you need from your career. If you are dissatisfied with the progress made within the company you work for, want to earn more or want to start getting noticed for your skills as a leader, by dedicating more time and energy to your work you will be more likely to earn a reputation as a leader. who takes the job seriously. However, even workaholics need to take some steps to balance professional and personal life. Read on to learn how to manage work in a prudent and balanced way.
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Exceeding Expectations
Step 1. Ask for overtime
The easiest way to show serious commitment to your job is to simply work harder than the average employee. While some companies don't have policies that are inclined to grant overtime to employees, many will allow you to do so. If your company is in favor of giving you overtime, ask your supervisor for permission right away. This will not only show your boss that you are willing to take the extra step to get the job done, but it will also give you a nice incentive on your next paycheck.
- If you work in the United States, consider that the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) requires employees who work more than 40 hours a week to receive at least 1.5 times the base pay for overtime work. Although individual states may have different laws, employees admitted to overtime are entitled to comply with this federal law if the salary is higher than that required by state law.
- Note that overtime is typically only an option for hourly employees; non-hourly salaried workers are not necessarily paid more to work more hours. In the latter case, you could instead ask your supervisor for a bonus for doing extra work.
Step 2. Try to reach new projects without being asked
In general, managers and officers love that their employees take on additional responsibilities without being asked to do so. If you do this, you will demonstrate initiative, intelligence and ambition. If you work properly, you could also make life easier for your boss, who can pay you respect and give you more concrete rewards. However, when aiming for new projects, be careful not to overstep authority or embarrass other employees. Your goal will be to be ambitious, but not arrogant. Here are just a few ideas to get you started:
- Present your boss with a detailed report on strategies for making your work more efficient.
- Organize and manage meetings that allow you to work effectively on other projects without disturbing the boss.
- Compare your ideas by making a list of strategies to increase the company's profitability.
- Organize internal office events (birthday parties, parties, etc.).
Step 3. Commit to your professional life
It is much, much easier to work effectively if you have a constructive relationship with colleagues. This means striving to have friendly and positive interactions on a regular basis. At the very least, you should try to spend your lunch break often with colleagues. Use these opportunities to get to know colleagues by chatting and conversing in a friendly way. If you can't think of a topic for discussion, you can always ask what they eat.
- If you enjoy talking to co-workers, it's a good idea to invite them to spend time with you outside of work. For example, you can invite them to have a drink together, play a game of soccer or join your favorite sport, or visit a mutual acquaintance. However, if you don't see yourself as their friend, it's not absolutely necessary to do this.
- Of course, this general rule also applies to jobs that don't take place in the office. People who work in restaurants, factories, barracks, military bases, hospitals and countless other places can also engage in friendly interactions with their colleagues as much as those who work in the office.
Step 4. Complete the projects in advance
Work can often seem like a long chain of looming deadlines. You need to complete the daily responsibilities as they are set each day, finish the minor projects by the end of the week and complete the big ones by the end of the month, and so on. If you can get the job done ahead of schedule, not only will you make a great impression on your superiors, but you will give yourself the opportunity to take on additional responsibilities, which in turn can broaden your career profile. In times of promotion, superiors will be inclined to consider first of all the employees who have worked with the most energy and concern. Make sure you are at the top of the list by trying to build your reputation through high quality work done with unexpected progress.
While it's a great idea to get into the habit of speeding up projects, be careful not to do it too much. If you get involved in every single project, your superiors may feel that you are not giving yourself enough to do, adding to your workload for the same pay. If possible, try to focus on accelerating only the most important and captivating projects
Step 5. Give more than what is asked of you
As mentioned above, most executives and senior executives respect hard work, ambition and creativity. If you are trying to outdo yourself at work, there is no better way to do it than to give your boss more than they ask for. By doing so, you will demonstrate that you take the job seriously and that you are a more valuable employee than others who do exactly what is asked of them. However, like when trying to complete projects early, you will need to balance your ambitions with the reality that, due to constant hard work, can be tremendously tiring on the body and mind. Try to put your absolute best effort into important projects that are likely to be noticed. Here are some ideas as examples:
- If you are required to submit a corporate internal data report, do independent research so that you can extrapolate meaningful projections from the results.
- If you are asked to clean up a messy warehouse, develop a system to organize the material and write the instructions for others to use.
- If the company's sales figures are slipping, test and develop your sales techniques and share them with your colleagues.
Step 6. Take your work home
When most people come home after a long day at work, the latter is the last thing on their mind. However, if you can do some extra work at home from time to time, you can break away from the pack. You could do this in the form of telecommuting from your home computer during meetings, doing additional research or analysis for important projects, or making important business calls, and so on.
If you have a family, you should avoid doing an excessive amount of work at home. While a single person may not deny it, the commitments of a family can affect the attention paid to work when at home. The exception to this rule, of course, lies in the nature of the job, which may require you to carry out most or all of your responsibilities from home
Part 2 of 4: Get Noticed
Step 1. Dress for success
While there are many exceptions to the rule, people in general can be a little superficial, especially when they know each other in a formal business setting. If you dress seriously and with dignity, others (including bosses and colleagues) will be more likely to treat you seriously. It is not said that it is necessary to wear haute couture clothes to work every day; expensive clothing is not always the most appropriate. Unless you have the cash for a high-class wardrobe, it will probably be best to stick to the following guidelines:
- For men: It's hard to go wrong wearing plain khakis or darker pants with a button-up shirt. For an extra touch of class, you can consider adding a jacket and tie. If you work in a casual place (like a web business), you might get away with a casual combination, like a t-shirt and shorts.
- For women: A long-sleeved shirt and skirt combination works well in most work environments. Traditional clothing can also be a good option. Dresses and trouser suits are smart choices for jobs that require audience interaction, while in casual situations you can get by with jeans and a T-shirt.
Step 2. Always act as if what you are doing is important
In addition to dressing up to enter the role of a serious and devoted worker, it is wise to act in a way that also gives this impression. The opinions of others are modeled to some extent on one's own. So, acting like whatever you are doing is important is a great way to get other people in the office to understand that you are important. Try to adopt the following habits to ensure that others view you as an indispensable employee:
- Walk briskly and with purpose, even if you just have to go to the refrigerator to have a sip of water.
- Speak clearly and confidently.
- When you walk among people, say hello quickly, but keep walking.
- If you are at your desk, sit directly in your chair.
Step 3. Don't be afraid to express your opinions
Unless they have such a delicate ego, most of the time bosses appreciate receiving feedback from their employees, whether positive or negative. By sharing your opinions from time to time, you will show that you are committed to your work and that you care about what is going on around you and the company. Depending on the atmosphere in the workplace, such behavior can make you stand out considerably from most employees. Below you will find some ideas on the times and places where it is appropriate to have your say:
- At business strategy meetings, come up with ideas on how to make yourself more competitive.
- Ask smart questions whenever you are sure how to proceed with your job. This will make you appear particularly capable when others seem reluctant to ask their own questions (such as during an awkward silence following a tense meeting).
- If you are unhappy with any aspect of your job, talk to your supervisor so they can change it. However, don't be offended if you get a "no".
Step 4. Look for challenges
Taking on new responsibilities can be very challenging, especially before you adjust to your new position. However, if you are able to successfully complete the new job, you will be able to receive rewards, a more important position within the company and (perhaps) more money. However, in the pursuit of new responsibilities make sure you don't step out of the way. Make sure you can handle the extra workload before taking on new responsibilities, otherwise you run the risk of having to ask for less work, which can be embarrassing on a professional level.
If there is no way to increase your current job responsibilities, try asking your manager directly. There's a noticeable chance that he might assign you some extra work, and even if he can't, you'll hit him for taking this initiative
Step 5. Call attention to your efforts
If you work hard, you deserve recognition. However, in the hustle and bustle of the work week, even a good job can easily go unnoticed. Don't let what you owe get hidden under the rug. Instead, look for a pretext to show your efforts. Try to bring to attention the projects you have completed with good results in order to make it clear that you were responsible for the success, without bragging. If you've actually done a good job, you don't need to show embarrassment either. Here are some circumstances in which to take the opportunity to showcase the work you have done:
- If you've completed a project without receiving credit, try sharing it with others through a group email. You can simply set up the email as a simple "keep everyone in the know" message, ensuring that your most important co-workers and supervisors know the work you've done.
- If you have completed a project that somehow relates to a new project under discussion, propose the work you have done as an example of how to proceed and as a guide within new areas to explore.
Step 6. Be friendly, but not irreverent
Maintaining an upbeat and positive attitude in the workplace is a great way not only to appear energized and motivated in the eyes of others (even for that reason), but also to keep your spirits high and make you a more worker. efficient. If you use kindness, it will be easier to interact with other employees, who in turn will find it easier to collaborate with you. It will also be easier to cooperate or ask for help on certain projects, increasing the yield. Finally, it is worth noting that if you are well liked, you will in all likelihood receive rewards and promotions.
While it is advisable to be polite, it is also best to stay away from sensitive topics of conversation and biting humor. It is not worth ruining the efforts spent in the workplace to have a laugh behind a colleague or passing as someone who has no sensitivity
Part 3 of 4: Feeding Good Work Habits
Step 1. Eliminate distractions as you work
It is useless to spend hours and hours without getting anything done. Make sure you are productive by eliminating any distractions that could divert your efforts to accomplish your tasks. Some of the most common distractions (with ideas to counter them) are listed below:
- Noise and / or unnecessary chatter in the workplace; use headphones or earplugs, or move to another work area.
- Conversation with other employees; cordially explain to the person in question that you are busy and that you can talk when you are done. Alternatively, try putting up a sign on your desk or in the area you work with that you politely tell others not to disturb.
- Pastimes on the internet (games, social media, etc.); install a productivity add-on or site blocking program suitable for your browser.
Step 2. Set ambitious (but realistic) goals
If you sometimes have trouble motivating yourself to work hard, choosing a specific goal and giving yourself a deadline to accomplish it can help you get out of your daily work stasis and increase your performance. When choosing a goal, try to be ambitious, but at the same time realize what you can and cannot achieve within the set time frame. If you set goals that are beyond your reach, you risk failing, not feeling up to your tasks, damaging your mood and hindering your motivation in the long run.
Step 3. Break big projects into manageable segments
Sometimes major projects can seem so big and threatening that it's hard to tell where to start. In these cases, it may be helpful to focus on some small but significant aspect and complete it first. Concluding a small unit relevant to the larger project will give you a sense of accomplishment with which you can fuel your motivation, while continuing to dedicate yourself to the rest of the project. By doing so, you will also have an idea of the implications that are most likely to cause problems, putting more effort into them.
For example, if you've been tasked with giving a half-hour presentation to a group of high-level corporate employees, it makes sense to start focusing on creating a thorough and detailed description. Although the outline for the presentation represents only a fraction of the work involved, you can make the rest of the project easier with the use of slides, points, and so on
Step 4. Try to instill the spirit of greatness in others
Leadership is a welcome skill in nearly all professions. Superiors want employees with a similar natural talent when they are looking for employees to reward. By demonstrating your leadership at work, you can gain recognition, more important responsibilities, as well as raises and promotions. To prove that you have it, make an effort to help others in their work by putting yourself at the helm of your own group projects. As mentioned, you will also need to make sure your leadership is recognized by showing it to others and seizing the right opportunities. If you have a reputation as a leader at work, it will only be a matter of time before you become a true leader. Here are some propitious moments to seize to underline these abilities:
- Take the opportunity to train a new employee and help him become familiar with his assignments.
- Outline your project, then, with the permission of your superiors, engage other employees to complete it.
- Take responsibility for carrying out the discussion in group meetings without a designated leader.
Part 4 of 4: Staying Healthy and Happy
Step 1. Always schedule breaks
Workaholics should spend a lot of their time working, but not spend every second of their day at work. The breaks made from time to time help to recharge the body and mind, in order to be as lucid as possible during the day and to increase performance over time, fighting fatigue. In addition, breaks help you stay in a good mood, which can be an essential component of being efficient at work, especially if you work directly with customers. Don't skip breaks to snatch a few minutes for work; work smart, no more.
It is worth noting that you may also be required by law to take breaks. In the United States, some federal laws dictate how an employer is required to provide work breaks. However, state laws vary from state to state. For example, in California, employees must take a 30-minute lunch break if they work more than 5 hours straight, unless their total daily work is less than 6 hours. In Italy the decree n. 66 of 2003 establishes at least a ten-minute break for each work shift
Step 2. Don't work during your free time
During holidays, sick days, days off, and family time, try to work as little as possible, if at all. The periods when you are absent at work are intended to allow you to recharge your batteries in a metaphorical sense, to rest and recover energy. While some professions require it, spending too much of your "free" time at work can actually negate the benefits you get from doing other things. To be able to stay fully motivated when you are actually at work, allow yourself to make good use of your rest days by staying completely away from work.
By not planning anything during your free time, you risk doing extra work before you rest. If so, work as long as you can before going on vacation so that you can only put a little effort into what worries you professionally
Step 3. Rest for a long time
Work is almost always more difficult if you are not well rested. Staying focused during meetings, following the path of different projects, and ensuring work is done on time can be difficult when you don't get enough sleep. To avoid these problems, try to get a full night's sleep as often as possible (if not every night). This will make it easier for you to stay focused on work when it becomes relevant. You'll also reduce the chances of wasting your time falling ill, but keeping your immune system strong.
Although everyone's biological needs are different, most medical sources agree that adults typically need around 7-9 hours of sleep to keep their health, mood, and mental function in peak condition
Step 4. Keep other interests outside of work
While work should be the nerve center of a workaholic's life, it shouldn't be his only goal. Having friends and hobbies outside of your work life can help you stay motivated in your professional life, avoiding being "worn out" by the routine at work. Moreover, it is even more important because it is a way to enrich one's existence, increasing both the quality and the variety of experiences. People are not only distinguished by the work they do, but also by how they have fun, the relationships they have with other people, the memories they create and the love they share. Don't spend your entire life working. If you don't have something to work for, what's the problem?
Sometimes, people who spend most of their energy at work have a hard time making friends outside of this environment. If you see yourself in this situation, don't feel stressed out as it's not uncommon among workaholics. You may find that by joining a singles club, you can make new acquaintances, despite having a busy schedule
Step 5. Find meaning in your work
Let's face it: not all jobs are dream jobs. Sometimes, the things we do to financially support ourselves can be very, very different from what we like to do to personally fulfill ourselves. However, it is almost always easier to work hard if you can find a reason to be emotionally committed at work, even if the reason may be small. By looking for small details that bring satisfaction, you can be proud of what you do or make the world a better place in a small part (even if in a visible way).
Suppose, for example, you have a job that is often described as relatively unimportant: working as a cook in a fast food restaurant. While some may view this as a monotonous and poorly rewarded occupation, we can try to focus on the positive and pleasant aspects. For example, in your position, you are tasked with quickly satisfying hundreds of people who work every day. If you don't do your job well, you easily risk dissatisfying them, affecting other sides of their life. On the other hand, if you are proud of your work and focus on increasing it, it is possible to help these people have a satisfying meal, which can in turn help them cope with their life at home and at work
Step 6. Try to motivate yourself
Just as it is easier to work hard if you can find satisfaction in the work you do, it is also easier to work if they give you something to work for. For the lucky few, working is an extremely satisfying activity in and of itself. However, for most people it is often something to do simply to financially support themselves and their family. During the monotonous daily routine it is easy to forget the final purpose of one's duties. Remembering why you work can help you focus and put even more effort into making progress when it's really worth it.
For example, if you have a job that doesn't drive you crazy with joy just to support your children, you may find it helpful to put some pictures of them in the room or area where you work. When you're going through a tough time where you need to find motivation to stay up late or take on an extra project, looking at your family photos can give you a useful reminder of what exactly you are hoping for. to get by working hard
Step 7. Spend time with your family if you have one
This is something that many workaholics strive for and that some fail to do. The balance between work and family is sometimes difficult to manage even for people who normally work 40 hours a week. On the other hand, for people who work 70 hours a week, finding the right balance can be extremely difficult. However, family should not be neglected in place of work. Ultimately, the love that a happy family gives is far more fulfilling than any reward or reward offered by hard work. If you happen to argue about whether you need to spend a few nights a week with your family or work a few extra hours to get the promotion you've been looking for, recognize your priorities. Workaholics should also strive to be loving spouses and parents, and sometimes this means neglecting work to devote time to what really matters.
Advice
- Let your customers know that you are always available in case of need.
- Find a part-time job alongside your real job.
- Tell your family that you are busy and cannot be bothered at the moment.
- If you have time and don't like sleeping, find a third part-time job.
Warnings
- It's a good idea to sleep 8 hours a day, even if you feel like you can manage 4.
- This is the first and most important warning: if your family doesn't understand you, then you may have problems at home.
