Be Effective and Happy at Work

Are you reluctant to get up and go to work? Do you tell yourself that you have to go to work? If your answer is yes, you are most probably not happy at work.  Are you struggling at work to get things done? It is likely that there is a lack of effectiveness in doing your job. What can you do about it?  Here are some suggestions:

• Change: Perhaps you cannot make changes in the workplace. But you can change the way you look at your job. Can you find out more about your work and develop an interest in it? For example, as a counter sales assistant, you can gather more information about the products that you are selling instead of doing nothing when there is no customer. The more you know about the products the more you are able to promote the right products to your customers. Very soon you will establish a good connection with customers and generate more sales. Your boss will be pleased with your proactive approach at work and offer you a raise or a promotion.   

• Develop your capabilities:  What are your skills and talents? Get the right job to do what you are good at and enjoy what you do and be happy. 

• Be mindful: Cultivate focus and concentration at work. Avoid distractions and problems not relating to the task at hand to disturb your peace of mind. 

• One thing at a time: Multitasking tires the mind and reduces the power to concentrate. Avoid errors and work more efficiently on one job at a time.  

• Write it down: Do not cram your mind and try to remember everything. It is better to write things down such as telephone messages, things to do later, and a sudden surge of ideas. 

• Be creative: You are at a distinct advantage and ahead of others when you are creative and be more productive because your idea is original, different from others and it is working. Be resourceful to solve problems effectively.

• Continue to learn: Equip yourself with more skills to enhance your value at the workplace. Employers are looking for people with multi-skills to cut costs.

• Better communication: The ability to listen, understand, and express yourself is essential to be effective at work. Listen with full attention to show that you are interested, repeat the message to understand fully, and express yourself clearly and precisely to be understood.

• A to-do list: You can see clearly what you need to do when it is written. You can then decide on the most important things to do, the rest of the tasks you can either do later or delegate. This is a productive way to manage  time  

• Manage your boss: The aim is to work closely with your boss to achieve the goals of the company. Support your boss but offer valuable input, when you have different ideas, to impress the boss. Keep your boss posted about your progress at work. Be noticed by your boss. 

• Getting things done through others: Involve others in your decision-making, solicit suggestions and implement workable ideas. They will be more committed to getting things done.