10 Secrets to Take Your Work From Good to Great

SECRETS TO 10TAKE YOUR WORK FROM GOOD TO GREAT

GET YOUR LASER

FOCUS ON.

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YOU’RE NOT CONTRIBUTING MORE WHEN YOU’RE MULTITASKING.

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THE TRUTH?

You’re not multitasking. Your mind can only handle one higher cognitive function at a time. So, in reality - you’re only task-switching.

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THE TRUTH?

You’re not multitasking. Your mind can only handle one higher cognitive function at a time. So, in reality - you’re only task-switching.

Constantly switching gears drains your energy much faster than if you focus on one task at a time.

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TIP:

GIVE YOURSELF PERMISSION TO DO ONE THING AT A TIME.

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TIP:

GIVE YOURSELF PERMISSION TO DO ONE THING AT A TIME.

Set aside time to unplug. Close your emails, apps, and anything digital that could be a distraction.

FUEL YOUR OWN MOTIVATION.

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DON’T RELY ON OTHERS TO PUSH

YOU TO PRODUCE GREAT WORK.

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You should be the one motivating yourself to go above and beyond.

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You should be the one motivating yourself to go above and beyond.

TIP:

Whenever you receive positive feedback from your colleagues, write it down.

Use it to inspire yourself later.

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PRACTICE,

PRACTICE, PRACTICE.

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The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is practice.– Vladimir Horowitz

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The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is practice.– Vladimir Horowitz

That’s right. Nobody becomes brilliant by accident.

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YOU NEED TO WORK AT IT. EVERY. DAY.

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YOU NEED TO WORK AT IT. EVERY. DAY.

TIP:Stop practicing mindlessly and start practicing deliberately.

Analyse where you’re going wrong and refine your processes.

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STRETCH

YOURSELF.

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LEAVE YOUR COMFORT ZONE.

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I f someone offers you an amazing opportunity and you’re

not sure you can do it, say yes - then learn how to do it later.

– Richard Branson

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I f someone offers you an amazing opportunity and you’re

not sure you can do it, say yes - then learn how to do it later.

– Richard Branson

TIP:Say yes to “stretch assignments” even if

you have no idea what you’re doing.

BE MINDFUL OF YOUR HABITS.

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TO BE THE BEST, YOU NEED TO TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF.It’s time to start eating brain foods.

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TIP:Ditch the fizzy drinks and chips, and stock your lunch box with brain healthy foods: Walnuts, fish,

berries, spinach, kale, flax seeds.

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TIP:Ditch the fizzy drinks and chips, and stock your lunch box with brain healthy foods: Walnuts, fish,

berries, spinach, kale, flax seeds.

These foods will boost your memory and cognitive functioning, and give you the advantage you need to outperform your competitors.

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OPTIMISE YOUR

DOWNTIME.

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The fittest person is not the one that runs the fastest, but the one who has optimised their rest time.

– Toni Swartz

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– Toni Swartz

Start thinking of your days not in terms of how you manage your time, but how you manage your energy.

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– Toni Swartz

Start thinking of your days not in terms of how you manage your time, but how you manage your energy.

TIP:When your energy levels are low, specifically plan how you’ll use this time to recover:

take a nap, go for a walk, read, or just sit and reflect.

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THINK BEFORE

YOU ACT.

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ONCE YOU’RE AWARE OF HOW YOUR ENERGY LEVELS PEAK AND DIP,

use your peak time to handle the bigger, more complex decisions.

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TIP:If you feel you’re in a dip, save the decision for later.

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TIP:If you feel you’re in a dip, save the decision for later.

This will conserve your energy, and help you do great work with the tasks that matter.

ALIGN YOUR PRIORITIES TO COMPANY GOALS.

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TEAMS PERFORM BETTER WHEN THEY’RE MOVING IN SYNC.

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Make sure to keep tabs on your company’s goals and objectives.

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Make sure to keep tabs on your company’s goals and objectives.

TIP:If your company’s goals are set around the customer experience, make sure your

work puts the customer first. In this way, you’ll be aligned with the performance of your company, and your work will flourish as a result.

BEAT YOUR

LAST SCORE.

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THE BIGGEST OPPONENT TO PROGRESS IS STAGNATION.Always try to excel at your work by being better than you were yesterday.

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If you were able to sort your emails in 10 minutes yesterday, see if you can do it in 9 minutes today.

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If you were able to sort your emails in 10 minutes yesterday, see if you can do it in 9 minutes today.

TIP:Keep notes on how you’re improving, and always have one big goal in mind. As you move closer to that goal, you’ll feel a great sense of momentum and your motivation to persevere will grow.

BE HONESTWITH YOURSELF.

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TO GET AHEAD, YOU NEED TO TAKE TIME

OUT TO REFLECT ON YOUR DAY HONESTLY.

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TIP:• Analyse what you did for the day.

• Be critical of what worked and what didn’t. • Think about where you can improve.

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TIP:• Analyse what you did for the day.

• Be critical of what worked and what didn’t. • Think about where you can improve.

Doing this consistently will give you a game plan that takes your work from

good to great.

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Being great at what you do isn’t easy - it takes hard work,

determination and perseverance.



BUT, BE GLAD IT ISN’T EASY.



BUT, BE GLAD IT ISN’T EASY.

Because, when you finally break through that barrier, you’ll know you

deserve every bit of success.

BE CONSISTENT,

BE CONSISTENT, AND KEEP PUSHING.

BE CONSISTENT, AND KEEP PUSHING. YOU’VE GOT THIS.

Empower yourself with a world-class education from the University of Cape Town and GetSmarter:

getsmarter.co.za

http://www.getsmarter.co.za/

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10 Secrets to Take Your Work From Good to Great

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