Julian’s Business Tips: Being Effective At Work

Are you as effective, efficient and productive as you could be?

Here are three steps to help you be even better this year!


Step 1: Identify Priorities

If someone asked you what your job was truly about, what would you say? What is your purpose? If you don’t know what you’re there to do, how can you prioritise? And if you can’t prioritise, you’ll be forever buried under a mountain of work, unable to tell what’s important, and what isn’t.

Step 2: Adopt a Good Attitude

People with a good attitude take the initiative whenever they can. They willingly help a colleague in need, they pick up the slack when someone is off sick, and they make sure that their work is done to the highest standards. Setting standards for your work and your behaviour means that you’re taking responsibility for yourself.

Step 3: Build Essential Skills
Here are four skills that are well worth cultivating:

1. Time Management/Productivity. Without this skill, your days will feel like a frantic race, with every project, email, and phone call competing for your attention.

2. Communication Skills. We make phone calls, write emails, give presentations, talk to customers.Good communication skills are essential for effectiveness – there’s no point talking if no-one’s understanding what you are saying!

3. Managing stress. Reduce pressure where you can and, where you can’t, try to improve your ability to cope with it. Otherwise you, your family and your business suffer, as you lose your ability to make solid, rational decisions.

4. Career Development. No matter how good you are, you can always be better – it’s important that you keep learning and developing your skills.

So to be more effective at work; practice managing your time well, communicating clearly, and having a good attitude. Oh, and keep learning! It’s as simple as that!

julian@julianberry.co.uk