STRIKE A FINE BALANCE

Be a student

Treat every workday like a school day. Be sure that you learn something and use it to make yourself more productive. It doesn’t have to relate to your skills. It may be as simple as understanding how to work with specific peers or emotional intelligence. Take mental notes. Don’t sleepwalk through the day.

Eye the ladder

You need to excel in your job. This is how you gain credibility. But understanding your next step is key to career happiness. Charting a career path is critical to remaining engaged in the job. Schedule discussions with your manager to get clarity on the next challenge. If you don’t get it on your team or in your company, it may be time to look elsewhere.

Company goals

Make sure you understand how your job contributes to your company’s business objectives. Are you in a revenue-generating role or brand-awareness role? Is your mission to delight the customer? Knowing how your job fits into the big picture will give you inspiration and a sense of accomplishment.

Be ethical

Bring integrity to your job. Whether you’re running a company or cleaning its bathrooms, be honest in all you do. Don’t call in sick just to get a day off — that’s stealing. Put in an honest day’s work. Be accountable. Do what you say you’re going to do. Honesty and reliability mean a lot to your manager.

Fit as a fiddle

OK, this was probably on your last New Year’s resolution list, but that’s because it’s so important. Try to break a sweat for 20 minutes, three days a week. Go for a walk at lunch. Join a gym. Lift weights. A healthy body makes a healthy mind. Exercising increases blood flow to the brain and gives you ideas. You’ll be more productive at work, and best of all, you’ll feel better.

Cross the lines

Occasionally think how you can go above and beyond. Are there projects outside your defined role you could help with? Be proactive; ask to join. Come up with your own ideas, and work with your manager to implement them. If you’re a hamster, step off the wheel and poke your head out of the cage. Stretch a little. This won’t go unnoticed.

Same wavelength

Make sure you and your manager are in firm agreement on what you’re doing. Be proactive and get on his calendar to ensure you’re meeting or exceeding expectations. Don’t assume he’s paying close attention. There are bad managers. If there’s a disconnect between what you’re doing and what your manager wants, you’re partly to blame. Don’t wait until review time.

Manage across

Even if you work primarily alone, be sure to make time to understand your peers’ role and how they go about their jobs. Show an interest. Don’t just choose a few friends and become part of a clique. High school is over. You never know when you may need people — or be reporting to them.

Communicate

Don’t leave people waiting for answers. If you’re in an email environment, return emails promptly. Let people know what you’re doing. If you’re working on a project, always ask yourself who needs to know about it, then tell them. Talk to people; give them a heads up. And when someone helps you out, be sure to thank him. It’s amazing this even needs to be on a list, but bad communicators abound. Don’t be one of them.