How to Take Charge at Work and in Life
Whether you are responsible for a team at work or a family at home, it's still important to take charge of how you show up in life, your relationships, and your career. After all, deciding how much effort you want to put in and how you show up everyday still falls on you.
Things can get overwhelming, and we don't know where to start. We can get used to managing others, but we must learn how to manage ourselves. So, here are some tips you can use as inspiration to take better charge of your life, work, and even health.
Know your worth
The quickest way to feel like you're out of control of your own life is to let other people walk all over you. Learn to stand up for yourself; advocate for yourself.
It's easy to say this when you have power over your situation, but standing up for yourself is challenging when you feel powerless. Start by taking better care of yourself physically and emotionally. Once you're more comfortable in your own skin, you can challenge anyone who makes you feel small.
Be self-aware
Journaling is one of the best ways to get to know yourself better. When you work to get to know yourself, you learn valuable things, like your strengths and areas you need to work on. Always seek to know yourself more, and find ways to get regularly grounded, like meditation or other mindfulness practices.
Apologize for mistakes but not for who you are
Are you putting yourself down when you apologize for something? Maybe you responded to a message late, and your immediate reaction is, "I'm so sorry; I'm so forgetful." It may seem insignificant, but you don't need to belittle yourself. Remember that you are not your actions, so stop putting yourself down for making mistakes.
Another way you can put this into action is by not apologizing when you don't have to. For example, if you're running late, say "Thank you for waiting" instead of "I'm sorry I'm late."
Establish boundaries
Creating boundaries to protect your time and resources is essential to get stuff done. So, limit your phone time, check your emails only a few times a day, and don't spend too much time with friends that kill your mood. Be intentional and draw the line. After all, you set people's expectations of how they treat you.
Know your priorities
We can be so caught up in our daily to-do lists that we must remember our priorities. What are your priorities? Is it to spend more time with your family? Is it regaining your independence and mobility after an amputation? Or do you want to be a specialist in your chosen field? Knowing your priorities helps you better screen requests on your time, so you can say 'yes' to what matters to you.
Break the status quo
Successful people get to where they are by standing out from the crowd and doing something noteworthy. If you're living with limb loss or limb difference, this can mean not letting your condition hold you back if you want to accomplish something, like getting into adaptive sports or starting a business.
Cheer others on
You don't have to bring someone down to elevate yourself. So, support others who may be in the same boat as you. The sooner you realize that helping others will take you further at work and in life, the better.