Success!Ezine  
is a Free newsletter provided to you by
Dr. E. Carol Webster to help you get ahead in life
and enjoy your success. 

Send e-mail address to Subscribe if this is the first edition you've received and you'd like to receive future issues. Your address will not be shared.

Feature Article

Working Hard? or Hardly Working?

E. Carol Webster, Ph.D. 
Copyright ©  2005

 You go to work everyday. You enjoy your job. But you don’t do very much when you get there. Instead of giving your employer or your own business your full efforts, you scrape by doing the bare minimum -– primarily because you can get away with it.  Some people work in settings that are fraught with ineptitude and inefficiency and these environments encourage even the most industrious individual to slack off. In part, people are motivated to work hard whether anyone is checking up on them or not when they enjoy what they’re doing, feel that they are accomplishing something, and that their efforts are helping them advance in their career. This may not happen in your workplace. Thus, you may ask, “Why should I work so hard when nothing will come of it?” In some ways, you may be justified in feeling this way. But don’t fall prey to “learned laziness” and erode the positive work ethic you may have. It will only add to the lack of productivity in your work environment and cause you to feel even more depressed and unmotivated.

 Are you a slacker?

 Work laziness is learned behavior. We get our cues about how hard to work from those around us. Their goofing off dampens our spirit and energy. We also are negatively influenced by relentless images that sway us to admire those who get a lot of money for doing very little –- sometimes even breaking laws and rules to get what they want in life. This can cause even those from very high achieving backgrounds to resist pushing themselves too hard or causing them only to do so when assured special compensation, such as bonuses or other rewards. They do only the work that is absolutely necessary and spend the rest of the time on other activities –- namely, themselves.

 Take a careful look at what you do each day. If you’re spending more time on personal tasks than the job you get paid to do, then you need to take stock of yourself. Your employer is not paying you a salary to: 

 Most employers recognize that you have to take some time during the day to handle normal life activities, such as checking to see that your children have made it home safely from school or that your elderly parents have been fed. But, that’s quite different from being tied to the phone all day because of family problems or personal business that prevents you from doing the work you are being paid to do. Similarly, when you own your own business, sure, you can decide at any point to do your personal bills, wax the car, or run out to the mall to do some shopping. But, it is your business that is suffering when you go overboard in doing this. When you are at work, you are at work. This means keeping yourself focused and on task so that the activities that you need to complete in order to successfully get your job done actually get done. 

Figure Out Why You’re Working

 In order to get a grip on yourself, start by frankly examining why you’re working. If it’s just because you have to in order to keep a roof over your head, then you’re likely to continue to scrape by because your primary motivation is just to collect a check. Of course, everyone has to pay their bills. But even if you were wealthy, try to figure out what would motivate you to go to work. For many people, it’s a need for some sense of achievement that is experienced when they are engaged in a job. They like the structure and stimulation of employment and feel a sense of personal growth and purpose in having something to point to for how they’ve been spending their time. This is why they put in long hours and keep working on a project even if no one is looking over their shoulder because they feel good about what they’re doing and the quality of the end result. But, there are other ways to gain these good feelings of purpose and accomplishment. Prefer to work at home? Spend more time in the community on charitable activities? Rather put the time into raising your kids? Both men and women struggle with these issues but often don’t look at options, like making necessary lifestyle changes in order to realign finances, that might allow them to take the alternative they would prefer. Yes, it’s hard to make it on one salary these days but not always impossible.  Some people are just taking up space and would do better to leave the traditional workplace so the job can be held by someone who really wants to be there. 

Accept Your Laziness or Else Do Something About It

 If you conclude that you’re a slacker, own up to it and stop pretending. Don’t try to fool yourself and others that you’re taking the job seriously when you really are putting more energy into figuring out ways to get by without getting caught than you are actually working. If you’re in a work setting that is not on the ball, you will probably be able to continue functioning like this for a long time. Similarly, if you can eke out enough money in your own business to cover your basic expenses, you will probably be able to get by. But be honest with yourself and others. Call what you’re doing a hobby and own up to the fact that you enjoy getting through life without having to do very much. On the other hand, if you truly don’t feel good about your work ethic, dig deep for the determination to change it. Remember, this behavior is learned and can be unlearned. 

Get to Work!

 You are being paid a salary to do a job. Earn it. Stop whining about needing bonuses and other rewards in order to do your best. Why should an employer pay you a salary to do a mediocre job? Any extras should be for superb performance, not simply for doing well. You should want to do well for your own sense of self-pride. If you’re self-employed, you should want to do well so you can continue to eat. So, decide to make some changes in yourself. Be a winner, dump the sloth, and get to work!

 About the Author: 
Dr. E. Carol Webster is a clinical psychologist in private practice in Fort Lauderdale, FL and is author of 
Success Management: How to Get to the Top and Keep Your Sanity Once You Get There and The Fear of Success: Stop It From Stopping You!

Ask Dr. Webster...

Dear Dr. Webster:

 Everywhere I look women are showing cleavage. Even those on TV. who are supposed to be "professionals". Did I miss a change in the dress for success rules?

              -- Befuddled

Dear Befuddled: Obviously I'm no fashion consultant, but I assume you're asking my opinion to understand the thinking of those who buy into the "sex sells" approach to success in business. Certainly, women should feel comfortable with their sexuality and not compelled to disguise their femininity so that they look frumpy or indistinguishable from men. But, they must remain mindful of the "uniform" that is called for in their particular profession and it is unlikely that sporting a tube top or plunging neckline is on many lists.

Though some people advising professional women egg them on and encourage them to push the fashion envelope as a means of "self-expression" or "using their gifts", other women correctly understand that they are probably being stereotyped, neutralized or exploited and resist this. They no longer have to sleep with the boss to get ahead, and don't have to bare their boobs to get a raise either. (And, P.S.: you're not likely to see any men shedding their power suits and exposing their wares to get that next promotion.)

 

--Dr. Webster

 

Got a Question?

Ask Dr. Webster

 

 

 

Success Motivator

  Success Tip

Customer Trust

 Recognize that it is useless to ask the customer to trust you. To get his trust you must do things that would generate that trust, such as:

·       Show up on time for appointments.

·       Promptly return phone calls you’re supposed to return.

·        Do the things you said you were going to do.

·       Answer questions specifically rather than being evasive.

·       Admit that you don’t know the answer to a buyer’s question, and promise to find out the answer.

·        Keep your promises.

·       Don’t promise that your company will do something unless your company has agreed to do it.

·        Don’t lie.

·        Don’t equivocate.

·        Maintain eye contact.

 From the book:

Why Customers Don’t Do What You Want Them To Do – And What To Do About It

Success!Ezine
E. Carol Webster, Ph.D.
Clinical Psychology
DrCarolWebster.com
954.797.9766
SuccessEzine@DrCarolWebster.com

If you enjoyed this newsletter, forward a copy to friends so they can subscribe!
Thank you.