7 Habits for Building a Better Career
Our habits can make us or break us. Yet, as humans, we either pay little attention to them, or if we do change them, we often lapse back into our old habits. Just ask anyone who attempts New Year’s resolutions! We’re not completely to blame. Why is that? So, does that mean we’re off the hook? And how does any of this help us build a better career?
Brain Blame
According to the book Atomic Habits by James Clear, we are walking around with the same brain equipment as did our Paleolithic ancestors. For survival reasons, our ancestors had a need for immediate gratification. Fast forward to modern day living, our brains don’t really understand the concept of delaying gratification. Examples of delaying gratification are the time it takes to earn a degree, lose weight, build a network, and so on. Therefore, many of us don’t even start. It takes time to build new neuron connections and strengthen gray matter. So, if we do begin creating new habits, discouragement sets in over time, we lose sight of the goal, and stop.
Does Our Brain Get Us Off the Hook?
Sorry Charlie, but no it doesn’t because, like any thing else, there is an app for that. Or rather, we practice, rehearse, train, rinse, and repeat. By doing this, we strengthen neuron connections and build gray matter, and over time, our new habits become automatic. However, even functioning on automatic pilot does not get us off the hook as being human, we can lapse into complacency, allow distractions to get us off our routines, and after achieving goals, fail to set new ones. James Clear helps us overcome our humanness by explaining exactly how to build new habits and stay on track. Therefore, he likes to call his book “an operating manual.” This begs the question, how does building new habits help us build better careers and lives?
Always Begin with Why
The benefits of changing from operating with a totally Paleolithic brain to our modern brain may seem obvious. When you compare the length of time of humanity on the planet to the beginning of modern inventions and technology, it can be mind blowing. For example, look at the dates for the following inventions,
Printing Press 1440
Lightbulb 1879
Penicillin 1928
Atomic Clock 1948
ATM 1967
Email 1971
Cell Phones 1984
Internet 1991 (became publicly available)
Changes, as you well know, are hurling at us in more volume, quicker, and bringing greater impact than ever before. The point is that change is going to happen anyway. We can fight change or use as many of the changes to our advantage as we are able. The human inventions in the above list make our lives easier, more comfortable, and efficient. Our habits can do the same.
Self-Improvement
There are some who question why changing our habits for self-improvement is so important. It’s the attitude of, take me as I am or don’t take me at all; I don’t care one way or the other. OK, who wants to work in an office full of people with THAT attitude? Certainly, you don’t want to be that person. Remember, the way you present yourself at work has an impact on how your boss and others perceive you at work. This perception can either be positive or negative and the choice is yours. Time to look at our seven habits to see how each of us can become a better co-worker, employee, and a candidate for the next promotion.
Habit 1: Show up and be on time. OK, I snuck two in here. Showing up is half the battle. Being punctual is the other side of the same coin. If you are consistently late, you will impress exactly no one, especially your boss. Stop using children, significant others, transportation, etc., etc., etc. as excuses. Get up earlier, find a way to solve issues, and be accountable. You can play the “Yes, but game” all you want, but there is no reward at the end of the game and the game won’t end until you put a stop to it.
Habit 2: Add value. Anyone can do the bare minimum a job requires. How are you different? Why do you deserve a promotion over someone else? You don’t if your work habit is only doing what the job requires to get by. This idea of being better falls into the categories of
- Going above and beyond
- Going the extra mile
- Being a giver, not a taker
The idea is not to become a doormat, but to see where you can solve problems, deliver innovative solutions, and help in areas where your normal routines might not take you. Being a clock watcher, late comer, and bare minimalist do not fit into any of these scenarios.
Habit 3: Keep up with trends. This includes the areas of business, industry, economics, technology, and society. Changes in any one of these areas can have a lasting impact on your job, career, and life. Knowledge is power. Further, having this knowledge and implementing it appropriately helps you look smart in meetings, add insight into strategies and planning, help your boss further his or her agenda, and help you add value to assist you in building your career.
Habit 4: Stay healthy. Staying healthy provides you the energy and stamina the modern world requires for success. Staying healthy includes being able to manage stress and take care of your emotional and mental health as well. None of us can function at optimal levels being run down, stressed out, ill, suffering from depression, or being mentally out of sorts.
Habit 5: Get a mentor or hire a coach. Dealing with some day-to-day challenges and laying out a long-term plan for your career requires help from both inside and outside sources. The term “inside” refers to your organization, family, and friends. The term “outside” refers to a coach who does not work for your organization, a mental health expert, or confident you trust. It can also include training. Building a better career is not a journey to travel on alone.
Habit 6: Take feedback well. This may even include criticism. Always consider the source, however, when you receive feedback of any type, keep your emotional quotient in check. There are always two sides to every story and often, these are growth opportunities to help clear up blind spots, be more professional, gain in-depth knowledge of a topic, or gain understanding of people, processes, or circumstances.
Habit 7: Be a continuous learner. This habit alone can open the door to many other good habits, knowledge, growth, professionalism, and expertise. Incorporating the habit of reading just 30 minutes a day will add a plethora of knowledge to your repertoire and won’t break your time management bank.
Seven habits are in no way a comprehensive list of habits to develop to build a better career. These are a good place to begin. The idea is not to overwhelm yourself by taking on too much. Work on the top three things that would bring the biggest payoff to you right away. Conquering one habit, will allow you to bring on another, so you still have just three to work on. Some habits may take care of other habits. As an example, reading about trends in your industry on a daily or even weekly basis is good multi-tasking.
Thank you for reading this blog. If you would like more information on how to Build a Better Career, Let's get started.
Graphic Credit: BigStock.com