What you can do to to make yourself invaluable at work
If you’re working an office job, a lot of your time is spent online, on the computer. It’s only natural to have your mind wander sometimes, which often leads to browsing aimlessly.
This happens to everyone, it’s ok.
But there’s much more productive ways for you to be using your time at work.
In this article, we talk about practical steps you can take to make yourself an essential cog in your office.
Putting in the work…not the time
There's a huge misconception in our work culture these days that the more time you put in, automatically means you're going to be getting more work done.
This cannot be further from the truth.
There’s plenty of research indicating that humans are at our most productivity in short bursts of energy and time.
Sweden and the rest of Scandinavia continues to revolutionize it’s work week by implementing shorter hours, which leads to more productive and happier employees.
Most employees have been led to believe that ‘showing face’ in the office is more important than really getting your job done, and it is this traditional idea that often leads to excess and unproductive employees.
Don’t get me wrong, though.
You still have to put in the work. There’s a lot that goes in that makes a company tick. It doesn’t matter what level you are in the hierarchy, taking initiative and working towards achievable personal goals will show your immediate superiors that you are serious about your work.
Instead of sifting to the internet ocean of ‘productivity hacks,’ read this article. In essence, the article talks about prioritization of your most important tasks. Prioritizing what’s important and focusing all your energy on that will lead to a more productive and improved performance.
The idea is to reduce the amount of time you waste – improve your efficiency, which means not wasting time at all; limit the number of your coffee breaks, avoid jaunts to the pantry every couple of hours. Put all your energy into getting your work done.
You will be blown away by just how vital you will be making yourself to the company.
Make yourself noticeable
This is very simple, really. Instead of dressing the exact same way as the rest of your employees, wear something slightly more jarring to the eye.
This doesn’t mean wear flashy jewelry and gold plated clothes, no. If you’re in a corporate firm, it’s hard to really distinguish yourself, but it’s still possible.
Put a little extra effort into your grooming, make sure your shirts are ironed and your coat is dry cleaned.
With the winter just around the corner, a few extra layers can help you. Start dressing the part, and you will be surprised the eyes that turn in your direction.
And while dressing up is one of the things you can do to become more noticeable, it’s simply a supplement to what I’m about to tell you.
Network.
Talk to people, be social, make a few jokes. But be sure to link this with the previous point. You don’t want to be doing just this. You want to make sure that when you’re on your lunch break with colleagues, you learn to relax and have some fun.
Be a leader. Be empathetic to other people’s struggles, and show interest in their lives. This is what all great leaders do. Eventually, doing so, will lead to you to becoming a much more relatable person, which will go far in the eyes of your bosses.