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5 Ways to Up Your Game at Work

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We’d all like to be better at our jobs, in theory. Being the best possible you, right now, puts you in a position to get a better job down the road, whether it’s at your present company or another organization. But actually improving job performance isn’t so easy — especially when you’re feeling uninspired after a long, hard slog through a down economy. How can you inspire yourself to do better at your job?

Susan Adams at Forbes just might have the answer. In fact, she has ten answers, compiled with the help of Forbes Leadership Editor Fred Allen. Any of these will get you moving in the right direction again, but these were a few of our favorite tips:

1. Get Organized: First on their list, and first in our hearts, getting organized will not only make you better at your job, it’ll make you happier while you’re doing it. Don’t believe it? Picture your average day. Now picture it without the stress of looking for lost emails and misfiled documents. Instant stress prevention.

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2. Put Yourself in the Boss’s Mindset: Try to see things from her perspective, and you’ll communicate better and forge a more productive relationship.

3. Stop Trying to Multitask: Somewhere along the way, most of us got the idea that if we’re only doing one thing, we’re not working hard enough. In fact, plenty of studies show that doing too many things at once means doing none of them well.

4. Get Into the Office Early: You don’t need to be the person who turns on the lights in the morning, but showing up a few minutes before everyone else does gives you the chance to get set up for the day without fielding dozens of questions and/or unexpected meetings.

5. Have Real Downtime: That doesn’t mean frantically checking your email under the table at the restaurant. Take real breaks, rest, and recharge. Your job performance will reflect the rejuvenated you.

Tell Us What You Think

We want to hear from you! How have you become better at your job? Leave a comment or join the discussion on Twitter, using the hashtag #MakeItHappen.

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(Photo Credit: t.abroudj/Flickr)

Jen Hubley Luckwaldt
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