How to work hard/develop a strong work ethic?

[TopHatFox]

I've been cycling 12 miles one-way to volunteer with habitat for humanity every weekend*, and I have this strange new feeling that I haven't had in career land yet: the will and want to learn how to work hard. In other words, learning how to show up on time or early, give it my all throughout the day even under strenuous conditions, learn all I can about the subject, and keep working hard as I master the craft.

What are some guidelines to developing a strong work ethic? I am particularly working on timeliness (I'll usually arrive a few minutes past a designated time).

------------------------------------------------------------

*This last Friday I spent the day netting, blowing, dense packing, and rolling cellulose insulation into a net-0 duplex--man was that fun and insightful! Can you believe many people often trade off more than 30 years of their life for mostly wood framing, netting, insulation, sheetrock, and trimming!?

[jennypenny]

Ego addressed some of that in his post about endurance.

I'm curious Zalo, have you ever had yourself evaluated for behavioral issues? This isn't an accusation, and I don't push people into labeling themselves and then rushing into medication. OTOH, I do think it's helpful to identify certain tendencies like ADHD, ADHD-PI, and Aspie because there are useful coping skills specifically for each type. A person can also learn how to structure their environment to counteract unproductive tendencies.

You don't need a doctor. There are online tests. Does anything in this article ring true with you?

[TopHatFox]

Ego addressed some of that in his post about endurance.

I'm curious Zalo, have you ever had yourself evaluated for behavioral issues? This isn't an accusation, and I don't push people into labeling themselves and then rushing into medication. OTOH, I do think it's helpful to identify certain tendencies like ADHD, ADHD-PI, and Aspie because there are useful coping skills specifically for each type. A person can also learn how to structure their environment to counteract unproductive tendencies.

You don't need a doctor. There are online tests. Does anything in this article ring true with you?

For the most part, I answered no to the bullet points, though I did resonate with some of them. (For example, I happen to like talking to myself and I'd like to continue working on my sense of time & location).

I think I just need to work on discipline & philosophy more. That said, I would be interested in having a comprehensive mental disability exam, so I can potentially find new things to work on.

[jennypenny]

Haha ... don't go looking for stuff.

There's a correlation between above-average IQ's, INT*'s, and certain behavioral tendencies, so I thought it was worth mentioning. I'm sure there are many on the forum who've been labeled/accused of being aspies, and quite a few who fit the profile for the inattentive form of ADHD (P's more than J's). Personally, I don't think they are a problem except that they make it harder to fit into the institutional mold and appear 'normal,' so learning the appropriate coping skills can help.

[slsdly]

For me, the word "ethic" is key. Convince yourself the work you do is righteous (even if in a modest form) and it is easy to summon the motivation. Don't beat yourself up about the relatively few (hopefully) days you slack off. This probably only works if you find some meaning from your job (I do). If you don't, try to find a job that is meaningful. If you can't, well, I'd say there are a few people here that believe their jobs are pointless who can give better advice .

[jacob]

What are some guidelines to developing a strong work ethic? I am particularly working on timeliness (I'll usually arrive a few minutes past a designated time).

That's easy! Never be late!

If that doesn't come naturally ... (it's almost as hard for someone culturally disposed to be on time to be fashionably late as it is the other way around) ... try

* Ethics (see above) --- just internalize that being late is just *wrong*
* Role model --- my grandfather is a VERY hard worker and when my father dated my mother, my father wanted to impress him by working just as hard. My father ended up puking, but he got the girl. (Nah, I'm not sure that was THE reason... but still). The thing I remembered from my teenage years was that he (and by association we) never slacked at work; always walked fast between places ... etc. That set the standard. During my college summer jobs I reckon I was 60%+ more effective than my colleagues in manual labor. Maybe I was just a sucker.
* Streaks --- If it works, it works! Because, obviously, streaks are precious. If you feel strongly about streaks, you can use them against your worse self.

[Ego]

Work ethic has an element of contagiousness. Like Jacob said, spend time with people who work harder than you then try to keep up. Conversely, avoid spending too much time with those who don't work hard. In my experience, volunteer organizations are not the places to find role models.

This job would be your PhD...
http://westernmass.craigslist.org/lab/5103181347.html

[7Wannabe5]

If you were an early reader, it is far more likely that the label you will not want to pin on your shirt would be low-level, high-functioning, cyclothymic rather than ADHD (common misdiagnosis especially in cases of early onset in childhood.) If there is any history of bi-polar disease in your family then it is almost a sure thing. It is basically a hormonal disorder, so a tendency towards hyper-sexuality would be another symptom that would distinguish it from ADHD. You probably will not choose to be medicated.

Anyways, my recommendation would be that you should continue to train for endurance while also recognizing and staying VERY self-aware about the fact that you are not built for endurance. You are more rabbit-monkey than tortoise-monkey and that is okay. Other people are lacking the quick-twitch muscles that you possess. One book that is on my permanent shelf and Jacob's bibliography is "The Renaissance Soul: Life Design for People with Too Many Passions to Pick Just One." This book offers a lot of good practices for doing endurance work for those who are not naturally inclined towards it. I would also recommend "The Art of Non-Conformity" since it is better aimed at a young male audience, but you would probably like it too much, and as long as I am piling books on your stacks, I would also strongly recommend "The Way of the Superior Man" by Deida because it will help you move towards the tiger-monkey quadrant which is kind of the same as the tortoise-monkey quadrant (the adult masculine quadrant) but the shell becomes teeth and claws and the youthful-energy-retaining, fast twitch muscles of the rabbit are retained in the pounce.

[slsdly]

@Ego: And if you have lazy coworkers, set higher standards for yourself than others. Fewer excuses for yourself, and in the same vein as your point, you inspire others to work harder completing the loop.

[GandK]

What are some guidelines to developing a strong work ethic? I am particularly working on timeliness (I'll usually arrive a few minutes past a designated time).

Can't speak for everyone, but for me this boils down to three things: passion, endorphins, and fear. (Or maybe that's three types of high or engagement: mental, emotional and physical/survival.) I need at least one of those to have any real ability to "work hard." Preferably more than one.

So it's easy for me to "work hard" on a Habitat build because I have passion about helping others and endorphins from the physical exercise involved. When I'm writing a novel? Passion about storytelling, and endorphins on and off when writing an emotional scene. When I was writing software? Passion on certain projects, endorphins occasionally when helping users directly, fear of missing deadlines and of failure, looking bad, or being the weakest link. All three were infrequent, so that was more of a struggle. Basic training? High levels of all three, all the time. Motivation was a non-issue.

But doing the dishes? I only do it because otherwise I have no clean dishes. I will never "work hard" at it.

If I were you, I'd try to identify what situations tend to cause "hard work" in you and seek those, rather than focusing on self-talk and life hacks.

[SimpleLife]

I believe in working smarter. I spent a lot of time learning things, even in my free time. I got projects others couldn't complete. The more knowledge I gained and the more I thought critically, the easier my job became to the point where I could do the work in half the time as everyone else and was the guy everything escalated to. It all lead to me learning a lot by doing/studying a lot, but...it came at the cost of burnout. Delivering mail for 40 years of your life is one thing. Working at a strenuous pace for even 5 years will leave you burnt out.

Luckily I've always been a saver and used the money wisely to buy real estate. Now my real estate makes me money while I sleep.

I still try to learn new things, take courses, am in grad school, etc. I think it's partly habit. I've been operating like this for so long, it has become the norm for me. I can NOT unwind or relax. But I'm burnt/checked out. Be careful what you wish for.

So yeah, make it a habit and it will become the new norm for you, just be careful what you wish for. The thought of leaving IT to take a lower paying job just because it's easier seems better with each week that passes.

[BeyondtheWrap]

If there's something that comes easy to you but everyone else thinks is hard, I think you should do that.