Three Steps to Being More Successful at Work

It’s no secret that success in the workplace is a top priority for most. For administrative professionals, success is a two-fold, uphill battle; it depends not only on your own work ethic and habits, but also  upon the person or people you support. This article focuses on the former, the part you can control. Being a successful administrative professional is multi-faceted, and this article is surely not all-encompassing, but here are three easy ways to be more successful in the workplace.

Eliminate “I can’t” from your Vocabulary

These two words are career killers for many, but for admins especially. Administrative assistant duties are so incredibly varied and dependent upon the industry you work in, the number or people you support, whom you support, and the function of the department you’re working in, to name a few of the variables involved. Don’t ever say “I can’t” when asked to do something. Instead, say, “I will figure it out,” whether that means you will learn to do it, or you will find the appropriate person to do it. Keep your response positive!

Have a Plan

From your clothes to your lunch to your daily tasks. Don’t wait to arrive at your desk to plan your day. Many successful professionals plan their entire week in advance. Whether that means setting out five outfits for the week, preparing your lunch in advance, or setting reminder notifications for meetings and events, planning ahead of time will help you gain better insight and perspective for your week. It will also free up your schedule a bit and lower your stress level For example, preparing your work clothes on Sunday will help to remind you of a Friday’s meeting with a client, or that the office will wear pink on Tuesday for breast cancer awareness. This helps you avoid wearing jeans on the casual Friday a client is scheduled to visit and makes you part of the office team on that Tuesday. Plus, the extra effort on Sunday means one less thing you have to worry about in the morning.

Planning isn’t just limited to food and clothing. Planning your week could mean making notes in your planner for the day before a project is due, or printing off extra templates for minutes. Anything that will shave off time from a pre-scheduled task is fair game. Creativity is a finite resource, and the more automated you can make trivial tasks, the less brain power you will waste thinking about them.

Be Relentlessly Persistent

Aim to be happy, aim to eliminate workplace gossip, aim to enjoy your work. These changes to your daily routine and mindset may seem small, but with consistency, they can mean big changes. From learning a new project management technique to understanding new software, successful professionals share in their ability to be relentlessly persistent about making a difference and working smarter, not harder. Changes in your attitude are not accomplished by flipping a switch; they are achieved by persisting in a behavior, remaining consistent in your methods for change, and pushing through even when things become difficult. Entrepreneurs, CEOs and admins must all put in hard work to realize their dreams. There will be downfalls and failures, and you will make mistakes, but remaining persistent in your desire to be successful, improve, and continue to grow professionally will only help your cause.

Photo Credit: Andrius Petrucenia, via Wikimedia Commons