The fact that you aren’t where you want to be should be enough motivation to work even harder. Getting to the career path of your dreams, where work becomes more than just work, doesn’t happen with you gliding by aimlessly.
Starting off with your first internship during college or starting a first job out of school will be tough. You will have your moments of mini-successes and moments of upset and feeling like a failure, but more importantly, you’ll have huge accomplishments that you never thought were possible.
With the accomplishments, you’ll want to keep doing your very best, so how will you go the extra mile in your work? These are three methods to incorporate into your work ethic:
1. Always deliver more than expected.
More is always better, especially when it comes to your work. Always deliver more than expected to the client and your boss. The client will always want more for their buck, which sometimes can almost seem like they are taking advantage. Instead of spending hours on something that they didn’t need, give them more for what they paid for: quality. Quality over quantity always wins in my book!
How can you deliver more than expected towards your boss? You can start with putting more effort, dedication and passion into your job. No matter what field you’re in you should always give more than what’s expected. If you ever want to move up or make the best impression, this is one way to be rewarded by it.
2. Stay focused on being productive.
It can be really easy to get off track during the work day. The distractions kick in — your coffee mug is empty and you just saw a squirrel pass the window. Okay, the squirrel may have been a mirage but you get the point. Staying focused throughout the day will enhance your productivity.
What can you do to stay focused on being productive? If you sit at a desk all day like I do, it’s best to break up your day with a mid-day workout or at least getting up and walking around a couple times a day to stretch out and give your eyes and mind a break.
Taking a mental break from your work can reset your thoughts and bring you back to a focus point. Eating the right food triggers your focus as well as reading an inspirational article or listening to your favorite playlist or podcast. Podcasts have been a recent favorite of mine, so find one and you’ll be tuned in for hours!
3. Work beyond the 9-5.
Clock in at 9 am and clock out at 5 pm — this isn’t the norm anymore for young entrepreneurs and millennial professionals.
As twenty-somethings, we tend to go the extra mile in our work by coming into work earlier than expected (or before the office officially opens) and we stay late if we need to. Just because that clock strikes 5 pm it’s not always time to pack up your things and skedaddle.
It’s not always what you do that matter but what other people see you do. If you’re at work before your boss and there after they leave, they will notice that. If you come in late or leave early on a regular basis, for better or worse, they will notice that too.
Getting yourself into a daily routine can help you strive within your profession. If you’re just starting off in the real world after college, it’s important to tell yourself that at your first big girl or boy job it’s not always going to glitz and glam. That’s not how the real world works.
Always going the extra mile in your job will only lead to better and greater things in life, which could be a promotion or a new career path. So, what are you waiting for? Go after it!
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About the Author
Karli is a West Virginia University graduate with a B.S. in Public Relations and a minor in Business Administration. She is a content writer and public relations specialist at a web design company in Oklahoma. In her free time, you can find her blogging, watching sports, drinking wine and coffee, working out, and loving floral everything. She hopes to own a small business one day.
Website: www.madambeautymark.com/