Picture this: A client approaches your company in the hopes of building a great business relationship. But your firm sends its most uninterested employee to the meeting. He doesn’t talk much or seem to care about the business. Think the client is going to stick around?

You’ve probably noticed how certain people don’t require productivity hacks. Procrastination seems like an alien term to them. These individuals have a strong work ethic. They believe that working hard, being disciplined, and constantly improving is the way to live and thrive professionally.

They’re right.

The Importance Of Work Ethic

Having a great work ethic involves a few core values. Some of these are dependability, dedication, professionalism, accountability, and the constant thirst to learn and improve. These qualities help both you and others working with you.

Importance To Others

Co-workers and managers find it easier to work with someone who’s focused on the task at hand and limits time-wasting activities. They can rely on these qualities, and that translates to a position of importance in the company.

Importance To You

Success is strongly linked to being disciplined. It’s a difficult, if not impossible, feat to be able to get what you want without a struggle. And a great work ethic means that you have the discipline and motivation to exert yourself to the limit. It will ensure that you’re able to achieve your goals through consistent effort.

Building The Right Habits

Luckily for you, you can build the right habits to help improve your diligence. These habits are centered around two qualities—focus and persistence.

Focus

For many, it’s difficult to pour all their mental energy into one task. Well, here’s some good news—focusing is a habit that can be learnt by anybody. Here are a few ways to do it:

Cut Distractions

When you’re working on a project, set a rule for yourself: Your attention should be completely fixed on the project. This means switching off your phone, closing all other tabs, and even blocking out people trying to talk to you. Centering your attention even for short bursts of time can drastically improve your focus.

Meditate

You won’t necessarily have to close your eyes for this. Meditation simply means being absorbed in what you’re doing. So if you’re taking a work break, do some light reading or just shut your eyelids and take deep breaths while focusing on the rise and fall of your chest. Try extending the duration of this act every time, and your focus will gradually get better.

Persistence

Having great focus is meaningless if you can’t stay in the zone for too long. If you find yourself burning out too quickly, try doing this:

Measure Your Mind

Time yourself to see how long you can perform a task without getting distracted. That way, you’ll set a goal for yourself and can take steps to raise that allotted time. Once you have a basic time, slowly increase it, even by 2 minutes, everyday. By the end of 15 days you’ll add a whole half hour to your persistence.

Stay In One Place

If you’ve set aside time for a particular job but can’t seem to finish it, ensure that you continue to stay in the same physical location for the entire period. It’ll teach you to extend the time for which you can work. Besides, if you’ve decided to stay in your workspace no matter what, you’ll eventually end up getting back to work.

Be Firm

Building a great work ethic is not an easy process. It may take several months. But you need to be thorough and ensure that you stick to the plan you’ve laid out for yourself. It’s the only way to get ahead in life and find your true calling.