I don’t mean to start off on a bad note but we all know the Nigerian economy is in a terribly bad shape. This is made worse by the fact that the President’s health is deteriorating. I say this because apparently, he has to currently work from home, according to the Minister of Information and Culture – Lai Mohammed. Also, he’s been absent from crucial meetings (Federal Executive Council).

A lot of unpleasant events are occurring at the same time but the one that constantly baffles me is the mass loss of jobs. So many people have lost their jobs because their companies had to let them go, stating reasons like ‘the current economy is bad for business’. I’ve personally had to support a friend that got laid off early this year because his company couldn’t keep up with the storm of recession.

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In conscious awareness of this, it is paramount that those of us who still have our jobs give our work our best. 'Bring your beast to work' like we rightly say here at Insidify. Show that you’re indispensable to your boss.

It’s not rocket science, you can actually enjoy your work and still be the best at your job if you maximize the following tips.

1. Network relentlessly: To be the best at your job, and even outside the four walls of your office, you can’t overrule the power of networking. As they say, your network is your net worth. Away from that, you can collaborate and share ideas with your colleagues at work, this will show that you are willing to share your ideas and help too. Networking outside work is also very important and it avails you so many opportunities. I was at an event in Lagos Island last weekend and I met a few people. I didn’t hesitate to network and exchange contact information with these people because I know one way or another, they’ll definitely come in handy or vice –versa. However, don’t just network or exchange contact information for the sake of it. Network for a reason!

‘The opposite of networking is NOT working ‘

- Someone smart

2. Get your time management right: Learning to manage time is an important factor when you’re aiming to be the best at work. No kidding, time management at work is a real challenge, because there would be distractions, the endless meetings, series of brain storming sessions, demands from the company, a gossip partner at work that wants to fill you in on the latest gist etc.

However, to be more efficient at work, you need to know your roles, how well to perform them so they won’t affect other tasks you may be working on. Take for instance, you’ve been given a project to complete within 3 days but you have a long list of uncompleted tasks. You know it doesn’t stop there because you’ll have to spend time on your personal projects as well. In order not to be overwhelmed, you have to first, cancel and avoid meetings; work related or not, that’ll be a deterrent to the completion of your tasks and this includes hanging out with friends and family. For anything good, they say, there is always a price!

To put things in perspective, especially in a place like Lagos where you have to wake up early to beat traffic on daily basis, you can’t afford the unnecessary. If your work is far from home, which most likely might be the case, you’ll have to wake up earlier than most every day so as get to work on time to avoid being queried.

In order to get the best from your work, have written goals for everyday and organize your to-do list. This will help manage your time. You can also turn off those apps that are irrelevant and turn off the notifications that pop-up when you receive messages from your social media.

3. Read widely and intentionally: To be the best at work or anywhere you find yourself isn’t a child’s play, it is a process one has to go through. This can only be achieved through meticulous reading; gathering necessary information that will help you be the best at your job. For me, I subscribed to some newsletters that relate to what I do (Medium Digest, Jeff Bullas, Neil Patel, Kachitee.com). With that, I keep myself abreast of what’s happening in that space.

‘A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one’

- George RR Martin

4. Kill conflicts in utero: Conflict can happen anywhere and anytime, most especially in a working place. It is pertinent that we manage conflict so as to help us work effectively. Bearing grudges with one another won’t bring progress.

Sometimes last month, I had a little misunderstanding with a colleague of mine. It was a trivial thing but the both of us decided to blow things out of proportion. In the long run, I called her and we were able to settle our difference. You see, we could have both kept quiet and decided not to talk about it until it becomes visible to everyone and eventually the boss hears of it. But thankfully, one of us had to play the lamb for things to get back to normal.

On the whole, perfection is a journey, it doesn’t come on a whim but it is attainable. In everything you do, work towards perfection and you’ll realize what great stuff you’re made of.
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