Self-management is one of the most essential skills to develop for career success. It’s the ability to prioritize tasks, set goals and take responsibility for them.
Employees with solid self-management are invaluable to companies. They require little supervision and can think outside the box to improve work processes and make life easier for other employees.
Self-Awareness
The first step in self-management is understanding your strengths, weaknesses, and what motivates you. You can use techniques to slowly increase your self-awareness, including setting personal performance goals and asking for honest feedback from others.
Now, why is self management important? A high level of self-awareness allows you to objectively evaluate yourself and make adjustments to improve your overall effectiveness. It also enables you to manage your emotions better and align your behavior with your internal values.
A strong self-awareness also helps you keep your promises and commitments at work. A good self-manager can be counted on to follow through with their plans and take charge of situations that require decisive action. Those with this skill set often positively impact their team and organization as they demonstrate a clear commitment to meeting deadlines and taking on additional responsibility without being micromanaged by their managers. This is a critical attribute for anyone wanting to grow their organization’s career. It demonstrates to leaders that you are a valuable employee and ready for more opportunities.
Self-Discipline
When you demonstrate self-discipline at work, it proves to company leaders that you have the drive and focus needed to complete projects without their constant supervision. This can help you advance in the company and lead your team of employees down the road.
Start by identifying your strengths and weaknesses and then develop a plan to improve them. For example, if you lack analytical skills, take a data analysis course or aim to arrive at work 20 minutes early each morning for the next month.
Having self-discipline helps you keep your goals on track, even when you don’t feel like it. Life is full of momentary obstacles and speed bumps; you need the drive to overcome them to reach your career goals. Achieving these objectives will boost your self-esteem and intrinsic strength, ensuring you live healthier. Self-discipline also helps you hone your skills through practice and perseverance. For instance, you can learn to type or slow your reading speed to absorb information more accurately.
Self-Control
Self-control involves inhibiting impulses and delaying gratification. It allows you to stay focused on long-term goals and avoid getting swept up by emotions or the temptation of immediate reward. People with high levels of self-control are less likely to engage in antisocial behaviors and are more successful at achieving their career goals (as well as life goals).
Low levels of self-control can lead to destructive behavior, like addiction, poor academic performance, criminal activity, obesity, and more. It can also cause problems at work, such as poor time management and an inability to prioritize tasks. You can start with a checklist dedicated to your goal, such as nursing competency checklists.
People with solid self-control can set SMART goals, track progress, and adjust their plans when needed. This helps them focus on their strengths rather than wasting time on the things they aren’t good at. It also means they are more likely to be able to manage stress and push through the hard times. For example, imagine a talented data analyst who gets very nervous when speaking in front of groups. If they don’t work on managing that anxiety, they will never be able to be a great leader or communicate their ideas effectively.
Self-Reliance
Self-reliance is the ability to trust your judgment and choices. It means being independent of the sway of others, even if they’re well-meaning.
A strong sense of self-reliance is essential to having good self-management skills at work. For example, if someone is afraid to speak up in meetings, it can be difficult for the team to get things done. Self-management skills help people overcome this fear by finding ways to develop their confidence and communication abilities.
More extreme examples of self-reliance are found in those who live off the grid, grow their food, and take other steps to minimize their dependence on the infrastructure that most of us rely on daily. Those who live this way say that it increases their productivity, makes them feel healthier, and decreases their time spent on social vices like prostitution, gangs, hooliganism, and armed robbery. Self-reliance is vital to the hero’s journey in mythology and literature.
Self-Motivation
When employees are self-motivated, they can push themselves further than a company’s minimum expectations. This helps them achieve tremendous workplace success and keeps their personal goals on track (e.g., losing weight or running a marathon).
Strong self-motivation can help people avoid stress by pushing themselves to work outside their comfort zones. It also makes it easier to deal with daily challenges because employees can focus on what they want out of their job rather than fearing failure or disappointing others.
If you want to boost your self-motivation, identify why you do what you do. For example, suppose you’re an employee who needs help to stick to your diet or workout routine. In that case, you can find motivation by reminding yourself of the pride and sense of accomplishment you’ll feel after accomplishing your goal. You can also improve your self-motivation by focusing on the positive aspects of your job and finding ways to leverage your strengths. For instance, if you’re an expert at data analysis, consider leveraging your skills by taking on additional projects or roles that highlight your skill set.
