Studies show that it takes up to two full weeks to develop a habit, but it only takes between three and four days to lose momentum in the development of said habit. What does that tell us? It highlights that good habits must be consistent and practiced regularly to reach their maximum benefits.
Which good habits can lead to a more successful career?
Here are a few examples.
Develop a consistent schedule: This not only applies to your working hours but your non-working hours as well. By adhering to a consistent sleep schedule, you’ll feel more refreshed each morning. If you allot time for projects, watching a movie, or spending time with friends, you won’t feel guilt or pressure to be working or accomplishing a task. That time is yours to enjoy and knowing it’s etched into your schedule, barring an emergency, will allow you to be more productive during the time you have devoted to work.
Challenge yourself: Zig Ziglar famously said: “If you aim at nothing, you’ll hit it every time.” How can you aspire to be successful if you don’t create challenging goals for yourself and define what success means to you? This doesn’t mean taking on projects beyond your capabilities; more accurately, it means taking on projects beyond your comfort zone. By pushing yourself to take on more responsibility and acquire new skills, you’ll gain confidence and want to challenge yourself more. Each new challenge is a steppingstone to success.
Learn from failure: You won’t conquer every career challenge you take on. That’s not meant to be a negative outlook, just a realistic one. There will be times when, despite your best efforts, things don’t go according to plan. You have two options: let that mistake dictate all your future decisions, or thoughtfully assess what went wrong and learn from it. Take some time and retrace your steps. Pinpoint the moments where things began to take a turn for the worst and plan for how you could handle it differently in the future.
Limit your time on social media: Social media can be a useful career tool to make connections in your field, share ideas, and learn new things. However, it can also be a black hole for wasting time, making you feel inadequate by comparing your success to others. Many new phones have a setting allowing the user only a certain amount of screen time on specific applications. Utilize that function to set limits on social media platforms and use the extra time you save scrolling to work toward your goals—not someone else’s definition of success.
Be positive and surround yourself with positive influences: Never underestimate the power of a positive mindset. When you look for the good in things and see opportunities for improvement instead of failure, you won’t waste precious time wallowing in your mistakes. By surrounding yourself with other goal-oriented, positive individuals, you’ll have a support group that can help you navigate your next steps on the path to success.
These habits can be powerful tools to help you achieve your goals and aspirations. Be patient, as it may take a few attempts to fully integrate these as habits into your daily routine. The more consistently you follow these tenets, the easier it will be to make them second nature—a lasting successful habit.