A strong ‘work ethic’ is what every hiring manager is looking for in a candidate, as it enables one to meet company expectations while upholding productivity.
As a business consultant and the VP of Operations at Oneball, Jeff Ber understands that making a meaningful impact requires a lot of hard work, motivation, and a strong work ethic. Working with entrepreneurs to aid in problem solving, Jeff Ber is here to outline how a strong work ethic can help you achieve your goals, no matter what they are.
Defining Work Ethic
Jeff Ber defines work ethic as a set of values based on the principle of hard work and discipline. Work ethic is essentially a set of habits that help improve overall focus and the quality of work produced. Some of the skills that work ethic manifests as are reliability, dedication, cooperation, integrity, and professionalism — attributes we can all aspire to. When you are working on a project, you want team members with strong work ethics to work alongside you; they are thorough, reliable, and get things done.
A strong work ethic is often rooted in passion, growth, and challenge. First and foremost, ask yourself: Do I enjoy what I do, and does it challenge me to grow? If not, it may be hard to develop a strong work ethic in this environment. Jeff Ber suggests checking in with yourself every couple of months to ensure that you are connected to the work that you are doing. If your career does not challenge you to grow and change, you are unlikely to sustain a strong work ethic over the long-term. If you are not comfortable investing your most valuable resource (time) into it, you may need to refocus.
Seek Professional Development
Jeff Ber explains that one of the best ways to improve your overall work ethic is to constantly seek professional development. Independently staying on top of industry seminars, courses, and publications is a great way to build a strong work ethic. It is not always comfortable learning something new, but it is this very challenge that will keep you motivated and engaged with the work that you do.
A positive work ethic is rooted in healthy habits. Jeff Ber explains that persistence is key to staying focused for long periods of time. Much like building endurance for a marathon, pacing and rest are required to achieve your long-term goals. Working for fourteen hours straight without any breaks is unlikely to reap the rewards you are looking for. This means finding a formula that works for you. Experiment with taking breaks every time you feel your focus wane, even if it just five minutes to get up and stretch. Try to identify when you feel your most focused, and your least focused, and adjust your schedule accordingly to maximize productivity. Work smarter, not harder.
Always Have a Plan
Lastly, Jeff Ber explains the importance of always having a plan. The best way to stay on top of everything you want to do is to create an easy to follow plan for your day, week, and month. What do you want to achieve, and when do you want to achieve it by? Having these metrics in place will allow you to quantify how successful you are, and what may need adjusting to improve overall productivity.
