Do you want to be highly effective?

We all have goals that constantly get lost amid so many distractions that we face in our day-to-day lives to the point that it becomes really difficult for us to concentrate on achieving them. Professionally and personally, sometimes we get carried away by the noisy environment, and our route does not point directly to the destination we want. As a Greek philosopher once said: "We are what we repeatedly do. “Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit", this phrase highlights the importance of our routine and repetitive actions as powerful factors that define our character. So, if we want to be more effective, we must first understand that our habits are what lead us directly to effectiveness or ineffectiveness. To become superhuman beings full of productivity, here are some recommendations from the writer Steve Covey, but this time applied to the workplace:

1. BE PROACTIVE: Can't work because the office is noisy? instead of complaining and saying you can't work, look for the solution, go somewhere else, and carry out your activities. Don't waste time blaming external events and circumstances, take charge of your life, focus on the things you can do, and assume your responsibilities.

2. BEGIN WITH THE END IN MIND: Ask yourself: Where do you want to go? Have a vision of your future and align your actions to make it happen. For example, if you eventually want to become a senior software developer in an American multinational, the first thing you should do is find out what knowledge, skills, and experience you need and then determine the steps that will get you there.

3. PUT FIRST THINGS FIRST: It's time to start prioritizing, what are the actions that take you closer to your goals? Bet on them and leave the trivialities that do not take you anywhere in second place. The best way to achieve this is to create your daily to-do list where you focus on the most important and urgent tasks first.

4. THINK WIN-WIN: Stop with the idea that for you to win, someone else must lose. From now on, in any business or work interaction, you must ensure that both parties are winners, there is always enough, and everyone can get a good and fair piece of the cake. Applying the "win-win" mentality allows you a collaborative and non-competitive work life, which in the long run generates great benefits for the team and good positive relationships between colleagues. 

5. SEEK FIRST TO UNDERSTAND, THEN TO BE UNDERSTOOD: Tell me something, Do you listen, or Do you just wait for others to be quiet to respond?... If you want to be effective you have to put aside the obstacles caused by bad communication, for that you need to start listening carefully to everyone involved and discover the origin of critical situations before rushing with solutions.

6. SYNERGIZE: In a work team, everyone should share the same goal, a system must sympathize, motivate each other, and share ideas and solutions. It is vital to betting on diverse workers who are willing to work together, differences provide an opportunity to offer creative ideas based on previous experiences. Remember, a well-assembled team will always go much further than any individual.

7. SHARPEN THE SAW: in other words, polish your tools. To have better positions you must improve your knowledge and skills in the areas you need. Likewise, even if it sounds like a broken record, remember that your body is your most important resource, if you don't sleep well, it is impossible to concentrate no matter how hard you try. Have a healthy lifestyle and you will be able to work for what you want.

BY THE WAY, Procrastinating until the last moment, being impatient while waiting for the proposed changes, constantly criticizing, and being selfish with the information you have are some of the most common ineffective habits at work. To overcome them, focus on making the 7 practices described above part of your daily routine. Remember that achieving interdependence and maximum productivity requires a change in our ingrained beliefs but you will be able to achieve your goals, improve your life and reach true happiness.