6 Lifechanging career hacks
Whether you’re just starting out on your career path or need to spruce things up, these career hacks will definitely put you on the right track. There is no one size fits all, but we’ve gathered some tips from the pro’s to lead you in the right direction.
“The first step is to establish that something is possible; then probability will occur.” – Elon Musk
Making changes to focus on success might at first seem daunting, but when you start things right or change your way of thinking, progression in your career might be closer than you think. It’s just about having focus, working towards a goal and implementing what you’ve planned to change and committing to it.
Develop a learning mindset
Once a person thinks they know everything they won’t be able to learn and grow. No one knows everything and this pertains to your job as well. If it feels like you’ve mastered your area of expertise and you’re not learning anything new – move on or apply for online courses to broaden your knowledge. There is always space for development – it all starts with your perception. If you’re in a work rut you definitely need a new challenge, if your workplace is not offering this – challenge yourself. Its up to you.
Make communication your best friend
Over-communication might seem inappropriate, but when starting out it might be the most essential hack for your success.
If you don’t know something, ask. We know you’ve heard this a million times, but your colleagues won’t know you’re struggling if you don’t speak up. No fake-it-till-you-make-it nonsense – you don’t want to be put on a project and mess it up only to realise you could have spoken up and resolved most of the issues. Your employer is as much part of your success as you are.
Organise your data
It’s important to take note of every task you do, every meeting you’re in or anything important you hear. This way you always have info to fall back on and work with in the future. No one has super-human memory and your notes just might be your saving grace. Ensure that your files on your computer are in place, name each project and document clearly to make your life easier.
Consistency is key
If you’re looking to challenge yourself, make sure you get to your specific goal each and every day. Challenge yourself and take an hour a day to research; spend time doing a short course or read up about your job specs and how to better yourself. Do this every day and before you know it you would have proved consistency to yourself and have developed, which is always a win-win for any career and company. This way of thinking will help you stay focused and on track to achieve your short and long-term goals.
Learn how to manage stress
Stress is a factor that is always part of any job, learning to handle it well is the key to success. Review your thoughts when stressful circumstances arise, and evaluate whether the amount of worry is even necessary in relation to the situation. Stress can be a good driving force when harnessed, some people function on it. Make sure you move during the day to clear your head, when stress hits, take a few deep breaths and recalibrate. More often than not the stress is bigger than the problem which can be solved when taking step by step.
Review your progress
Having goals are great, but not looking back and reviewing yourself makes it almost redundant. You’ll only know how far you’ve come and how much you’ve learnt when you look back to see what has been achieved. You’ll be surprised how motivating it is to actually see how far you’ve come. Do it every month or every quarter, whatever suits your style. This way you’ll also be able to see where things have been slacking and what to improve.
There are many more ways to further your career, find which ones work best for you – as we said there is no one-size-fits-all solution. The important thing to keep in mind is to move forward and use hacks that suit your working style. Set goals that are smart and you’ll be advancing in no time.
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