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If youâre struggling at workâto get ahead, feel fulfilled or achieve satisfactionâyou are wise to consider your work ethic and whether you may have bad habits that are getting in your way.
Your work ethic is critical to how you feel about your workâand just as your expectations for your employer have probably expanded, organizations are also expecting a lot of their people.
Your ability to gain recognition, make friends, grow your career and feel great about your work are all hugely impacted by how you approach your workâand you can be intentional about building your work ethic and good habits.
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Read also: 9 little habits that will make people respect and appreciate you more
What Is Work Ethic
Many people ask, âWhat is a work ethic?â Essentially your work ethic is your set of values that guide your approach to your work. Work ethic is evident through your attitude and your response to all kinds of situations you face at work (and outside of work when you need to get things done). A positive work ethic includes attributes like integrity, quality, discipline, teamwork and responsibility.
Can a lack of work ethic translate into bad habits? Yes, bad habits can arise because you arenât aware of your work ethic or donât realize the impact that your behavior has on others. You might also develop bad habits if you lack self-awareness or fail to think through your actions.
People also frequently ask, âWhat are examples of poor work ethic?â There are tons of examplesâfrom failing to show up on time or get work done to taking credit for othersâ work, being two-faced or failing to follow through or deliver on promises. Keep reading for more to avoid.
Given this, can you improve a poor work ethic? Yes, itâs possible to do betterâand to repair and build your credibility. Importantly, people will believe what you do more than what you say, so the choices you make and the actions you take will be critical to your work and your future.
What are the steps you need to take to avoid bad habitsâor improve themâand demonstrate a strong work ethic?
First, give thought to your values, priorities and how you want to be perceived.
Next, reflect on where you may be falling short and build your self-awareness.
Then, take action to improve in terms of how you show up, how you do your work and how you interact with others.
Work Ethic In How You Show Up
In order to demonstrate a positive work ethic and avoid bad habits, be intentional about how you show upâboth literally and figuratively.
Be on time and work until things are completeâor to a reasonable stopping point.
Also ensure you have a good attitude. Of course, youâll have days when you feel down, but do your best to bring a positive approach to your work and make things better. Avoid negativity or complaining.
Also avoid stress braggingâin which you highlight how much work you have, how much youâre facing and how much youâre getting done. While you may not intend to be off-putting, this kind of interaction can degrade your relationships and your credibility.
Demonstrate grit and stick with things even if theyâre hard, knowing that stress is normal and your happiness with your work will ebb and flow. Build your resilience and ask for help if youâre struggling.
Bottom Line: Demonstrate integrity and discipline by avoiding bad habits like being late, being absent inappropriately, having a poor attitude, being negative, complaining, stress bragging, giving up or covering up your need for help.
Work Ethic In How You Do Your Work
Another critical factor in your work ethic isânot surprisinglyâhow you do your work
Be sure you follow through, follow up, deliver on your promises and demonstrate quality in your work. Avoid doing shoddy or incomplete work, and take responsibility for the outcomes and timeliness of your work.
Also avoid perfectionism. While you may think youâre going above and beyond, youâll get more done and work better with others if you can ensure excellence rather than perfection. Steer clear of overthinking, overdoing or obsessing about your work process or outcomes.
In addition, avoid procrastinating. If your results are subpar because you didnât give yourself enough to time to do good work, or if you donât deliver on time and put your teammate in a bind as a result, youâll reduce your effectiveness and your likability.
Also, be sure you never take advantage of privileges. Take breaks for reasonable amounts of time. If youâre working remotely, be sure to be present, accessible and responsive.
Bottom Line: Demonstrate a commitment to quality and responsibility by avoiding bad habits like failing to follow through, failing to deliver on your promises, doing shoddy or incomplete work, being late with your work, being perfectionistic or hyper-critical, procrastinating, overstaying breaks, overusing vacation, abusing remote work privileges, being inaccessible or being unresponsive.
Work Ethic In How You Interact With Others
A fundamental aspect of your work ethic is how you work with others and demonstrate teamwork. If colleagues perceive you to be out for yourself at the expense of the team, it will be a fast path to feeling ostracized or disenfranchised from your team.
Be open and transparent, and communicate clearly. Set expectations and let people know if you need more time to get your work done.
In addition, assume good intentions and if disagree, ensure youâre having constructive dialogue to resolve issues.
Also, avoid gossiping or being inauthentic or two-faced. And never take credit for othersâ work. Instead, offer both recognition and input to support people.
Listen, ask questions and demonstrate empathy by imagining what others might be feeling or thinkingâand then be compassionate in response.
Admit mistakes and seek feedback from othersâabout both how youâre coming across and how youâre delivering on your responsibilitiesâand seek to continuously improve.
Bottom Line: Demonstrate teamwork by avoiding bad habits like being selfish or self-centered, being secretive or dishonest, overpromising, underdelivering, being contentious, gossiping, taking credit for othersâ work, covering up mistakes or ignoring feedback.
Read also: Life is short do this so you don’t waste your timeÂ
Demonstrate A Strong Work Ethic
Overall, reflect on whatâs important to you and how you want to be perceived. Then, consider whether your behaviors are in alignment with what you want for yourselfâand make corrections.
No one is perfect and youâll build a great work ethic and strong habitsâas well as happiness and satisfactionâwhen you continually challenge yourself to be honest about where you can improve and then take positive action.
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Contributed by Tracy Brower
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