ON WORK ETHIC || You Don't Have to Sacrifice Your Work-Life Balance to Achieve Your Goals
Have you heard of this quote?
“Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.”
I’m one of those old millennials born in the 1980s, and this saying was quite common for us. The generation before us believed in hard work. I was caught at the beginning of iPhone technology and everything going digital. I still remember trying to connect to the modem and listening to the whirring noises of the modem.
This quote summarizes the work ethic that Gen X and early Gen Y (aka Millennials) believe in. With the availability of technology becoming more widespread, we bought into hustle culture. Work all day, every day, 24/7.
The last few years have been a total reversal. And, as usual, when there are reversals, they tend to go all the way to the other extreme. Terms like ‘quiet quitting’ and the like emerged to describe people who were at their job but doing the bare minimum and not more. It’s interesting because the same group would also complain about why they aren’t hitting their goals or are well on their defined path to success.
Let’s be clear: Hitting your goals doesn't mean you have to work around the clock.
You can get to where you want to be with an eight-hour day, but you must be in the state and mindset to make the most of your time.
Getting and giving the most in your job also does not mean you need to be a workaholic. Yes, if you intend to GET from your job (whether that’s pay, a promotion, learn new skills to contribute to your personal goals), then you must also GIVE to the job (Ie. your time, creativity, dedication to contribute to the business goals). Do you see how it’s a two-way street?
You don’t need to be in front of your laptop for all your waking hours to get where you want to be.
While the media has given much attention to the changing workforce and their needs, they have painted them in a non-favourable light. When we read articles about the demands of the next generation, it’s more pay, fewer work hours, and a less stressful role. Chronically short-staffed businesses (as a result of early retirement from boomers and others leaving the workforce) complied, but what happened as a result of this was deteriorating margins or business losses, ultimately leading to business closures.
Sixty-five percent of small businesses say they will likely close if inflation continues because small businesses aren’t swimming in cash as employees would like to believe—they are swimming in debt. In my first business numerous years ago, I took out loans in order to pay employee salaries instead of paying myself. Many small business owners start their businesses with a bank loan. They now have to service these bank loans at 4 to 5 times the initial rate they were paying because of interest rate increases. Other businesses put it on their credit card, and I don’t need to deep dive into how high those rates are. Small to medium-sized owners are likely in a pinch, and a good portion of them might be gone next year because they’re run out of cash runway to service their debt and pay the higher salaries required to keep the business afloat.
You may think, who cares about small businesses anyway? They don’t have the budget to pay me the high salary I demand. According to an article in Forbes, 99.9% of companies in the US economy are classified as small businesses. So, l would say it’s important to ensure they stay in business. If we kill off all the small companies, there would be much fewer jobs available. We could all go to work for the corporates of the world, like Microsoft, Amazon and the like, but what if you also enjoy the environment of working in a smaller team and having full ownership of your projects instead of being a cog in a wheel?
So, how can both sides win?
Employers are willing to pay for staff that genuinely add value in line with their pay. I believe employees are aligned on this because I’ve seen plenty of ‘known your worth’ videos on social media. So, let’s talk value.
Through the several businesses I’ve run, I've observed that I could generally divide staff into two groups: those who show up refreshed and ready to work and those who are yawning or zoned out at their desk.
Is this you? You probably want to make a lifestyle change if you want to get the most out of your work hours so you don’t need to work longer hours to make up for it.
The ones who get decent sleep, are well-rested, and show up ready to have a productive day for eight hours are the ones who get the most out of the company and give the most to the business. Those who show up half asleep, spend most of their time on their phones chatting with their friends or are distracted with online shopping during the workday are the ones who complain about their goals being impossible to hit and the workload being too much.
The solution to winning at work for both parties is for the employer to observe and identify the ones from the first camp and pay them what they’re worth. If you’re currently in the second camp, and you want to hit your goal of getting a raise, promotion, or having your company invest in you, then the first thing you need to do is to be PRESENT on the job. Most people are not hitting their personal goals because they waste time.
Think about what you have to change in your lifestyle to be present for eight hours. You don’t need to work longer hours than necessary, but you need to ensure that the hours you put in are quality. As with everything else worth having, go for quality over quantity.
Are you going to bed at 2 AM when you have to wake up at 8 AM for a meeting?
Are you playing video games until the last minute before you turn off the lights to sleep? Blue light emitted from phones keep us from producing melatonin, which is the hormone that makes us tired, so you’ll find it harder to fall asleep and more challenging to wake up the next day.
Do you enjoy a drink or two after work? Alcohol can impact your sleep quality because it makes you spend less time in deep sleep (REM).
Now, if the reason why you show up to work deflated and tired is not related to your lifestyle and you hate the job, then I suggest you quit. Plain and simple.
If you intend on staying on the job and want to see an improvement in your career path, then you need to ask yourself if you are willing to make the change. While you’ll still be investing the same amount of time daily into the job, I guarantee you will be more productive and feel you’re getting more out of the job. Your colleagues and your boss will observe the change too. This is how both sides can win. Your dedication and improved quality hours will help the business. As a result, your manager or boss will see your efforts (or you can provide a record of the improvement tied to metrics) and reward you accordingly. It doesn’t have to be one side takes all. While there’s no magic pill to help you get a promotion, I hope this makes you reflect on how you spend your time at work and how a lifestyle change could generate relatively quick results.
