It’s Monday morning again and you find yourself reluctantly ambling toward the office. The dread of another week is fully upon you now, having set in sometime late last night. Deadlines are looming, work is piling up, and the boss seems to have you fixed squarely on his radar. Most of us know this feeling all too well. But just as you think you’re about to be completely overwhelmed, let me give you some good advice that I’ve honed and gathered over the course of many such Mondays. At the end of the day, it’s not about working hard; it’s about working smart and going home.
Let’s be honest, the old maxims simply don’t hold water any longer (assuming they ever did). Working hard only paints you as someone willing to take on extra work. Working long hours suggests you don’t have a personal life and are readily available during off-hours (not to mention being seen as someone who can’t get their work done during the normal 9–5). Ditto for taking lunch at your desk. Instead, learn and remember these three principles which are guaranteed to make your life easier.
No Good Deed Goes Unpunished
Yes, it seems a bit contrary at first but only because the reality of corporate life seems to run perpendicular to common sense. Intuition would suggest that doing good work, taking initiative, and assuming responsibility are behaviors worth rewarding. If only it were so. Suppose you have a great idea. Raising your hand high during a meeting you proclaim, “XYZ can be improved by doing ABC, thereby saving 123.” Your proposal is greeted with enthusiastic nods, approvals, and exaltations. Who gets put in charge of ABC? You do of course. And does this mean that your boss will clear off your calendar so you can go off to a quiet corner of the office and work on proposal ABC? Yeah right!
By next week’s meeting, ABC is no longer a fresh new initiative, but another bullet on your list of deadlines. Same goes for minor action items as well. If you’ve done something for the first time, you become the automatic go-to person. Always be sure to share knowledge with those around you and downplay the degree of involvement. Just make sure your own work is done on time and keep your head down. Be vocal, yet uninvolved. Influence, but never act. If this is beginning to sound a little too Buddhist, just remember how relaxed he was …
