Stay Ahead: Tips for Advancing In the Business World

It’s a dog-eat-dog world out there in business, probably more so now than it’s been in years. It takes a lot of hard work and discipline to get ahead. There are certain attributes that those who are successful in business tend to share and habits they stick to daily. So if you find yourself floundering a bit now, have faith. There are things you can do and attributes you can attempt to take on that can get you ahead of the pack. Read on for tips for advancing in the business world.

Wake Up Early

The early bird truly does get the worm. Waking up before the sun is something that nearly every major CEO does. Many of them enjoy pre-dawn workouts, some meditate first thing, and others simply like to enjoy the silence and get a jump on the workday with a steaming hot cup o’ joe. The thing about successful people is they have extremely busy calendars that are likely to fill up even more as the day goes on. So getting a jump on returning emails and things of that nature is always a good idea. Now if this intimidates you because you’re more of a night owl, our suggestion is to make the transition gradually. We’re not saying to get less sleep, as we all need sleep to be on the ball. But try going to be bed and waking up earlier by 20 minutes each day until it becomes a habit. And research has also shown that it’s best to be consistent each day with how much sleep you get, so try not to overdo it when it comes to sleeping in on the weekends.

Don’t Be a Jack-of-All-Trades and Master of None

Figure out what it is you’re good at and pour yourself into that business pursuit. Warren Buffet says he reads in his office 80 percent of his day to become a “learning machine”. Read up on business. Get an advanced degree in it if that’s possible. Take classes. Approach those who are successful in the field and learn from the best. In the end, we are all eternal students, and that’s how we succeed. Before starting innovative beach accessory company Slippa, the Long Brothers talked to everyone they could who had ever launched a successful business so they could learn the common denominators.

Don’t Be Afraid of Failure

If you’ve ever heard a majorly successful CEO or president of a company talk, this is almost always mentioned. With no risk comes no reward. Work at a start-up—everyone should do this at least once. This is particularly true if you’re young and do not have a family yet. Take some risks—now is the time, and you’ll certainly learn from every failure.

Don’t Be Afraid to Take Breaks

Some people are so eager to succeed that they forego vacations and work endless hours. This is like taking a bullet train to BurnoutTown. Remember that there are many benefits to having a solid work/life balance. And taking the occasional break will only you return you to your business more refreshed and ready to take on the task at hand. Just make sure to really unplug while you’re away!

Remove Distractions

Now this might seem in direct contrast to what we said about taking breaks but, when you’re sitting at your desk, you want to be able to hit maximum productivity. These days, it’s far too easy to get distracted by social media and other outside influences. Create a work environment that is conducive to really being able to concentrate. The benefit to this is that you’ll be working “smarter, not harder,” so you can actually get home for that family dinner.

Don’t Be Afraid to Delegate

Time management is crucial for being good at business but if you’re constantly saying things to yourself like, “Well, I’d better do this to really get it right,” you’re going to be working 24/7. To boot, you’ll be so exhausted that you’re more likely to make mistakes. Hire people you know can do their jobs and then allow them to do the tasks they need to do. Your business needs to run like a well-oiled machine, and that can’t happen if you’re the only one doing everything.

With a lot of dedication and mental elbow grease you can separate yourself from your business peers. Follow these tips and you’ll definitely be on your way.