The best work advice for any job that I’ve ever received came from many different people. Some were family, some were coworkers, but each and every time I thought I was receiving a nugget of work wisdom, I filed it away to apply to my work life. Some of the work advice is just common sense. After many years of observing human behavior in the workplace, these five pieces of work advice below have really resonated the most with me and served me well.
The Best Work Advice For Any Job
Watch your mouth
I can remember when I got my very first job in education and my aunt, a seasoned teacher, told me to be sure to keep my eyes and ears open and my mouth shut. Couldn’t this be true of just about any job? I’ve learned to listen to things people tell me, but to take it with a grain of salt. Some people will tell you things in confidence and it’s good to keep information to yourself. It’s also smart not to talk about people or policies to anyone who will listen. Nine times out of ten, what you say will get back to someone in charge.
Get the insurance
When I took my very first job with benefits, my dad gave me some work advice. He insisted that I get disability insurance. As far as I could tell at the ripe old age of 21, disability insurance was just another expense out of my paycheck. Wasn’t that for old people or women who were planning on having a baby? I begrudgingly opted to take the insurance. Years later, I still follow his advice and that insurance has been a lifesaver. It came in handy I had my son and especially when I had my heart surgery. Yes, it’s money taken out of my paycheck. Yes, most people may never have to use it. However, it’s better to be safe than sorry.
Don’t complain constantly
I once worked at a job where a coworker of mine constantly piped up at meetings with complaints. Nothing was ever to her liking and she never hesitated to let anyone know. Complaining and negative talk is not only annoying, but bad attitudes can rub off on everyone. This makes your job very unpleasant. Nobody wanted to be around her much and the eye rolls always started once she let loose with her complaints in meetings. Complain to your cat, write it down and shred it, or have an intelligent talk to someone in charge if you’re really upset. Just don’t be that person.
Get to work early
Believe me, your boss takes notice of when you stroll in late. If you have a commute or you know it takes you longer in the morning to just get going, give yourself the extra time to get there and not be in a rush. Yes, some mornings will be awful and things might be out of your control, but consistently coming in late to work gets noticed by everyone and not in a good way.
Be about your business
One of the best pieces of work advice is to just put your head down and work. You can talk to your coworkers, but do it on your own time. Don’t make a habit of visiting all over the place, hanging out in the common area, and or generally letting your boss see that you are not about your business. This is especially important when the boss is not in the office. We’ve all heard the old saying, “when the cat is away, the mice will play”. Don’t play with the mice because someone will notice. They may even make your boss aware of it.
Of course, if you need more workplace advice, there are so many great books on just about any issues you may have or advice you may need. However, following these five little pieces of advice helps me to stay focused, do my job, and try to weave some sort of balance between my work and personal life.
Do you have any great advice for work? Leave a comment and share!
Leave a Reply