10 ways to be the best version of you

‘Be the best version of you!’ is advice I often give from the stage, yet like most advice it’s often not useful unless we understand what it means. So in this week’s blog I’m aiming to provide you with some practical things you can do to be the best version of you in work. I recommend trying one a day, rather than them all at once, however, you decide what works best for you.

So here goes… 10 things that anyone can do to be the best version of themselves:

1. Show up ready to work — don’t waste those early hours of your working day. Keep the diary clear for the first half hour and smash out a task or two
2. Give your mind (and eyes) a rest — plan in time for procrastination, but don’t waste it by continuing to look at a screen. Head out for a walk and listen to the sounds around you
3. Ask someone if they need help — collaboration works best when the people in the team help each other, yet people aren’t great at asking for it. So once a day ask someone if they need help with anything
4. Ask for help — you can’t be good at everything, nor can you take everything on and still expect to succeed. If you’re struggling ask for help or else…
5. Say no to low value work — politely decline anything that you don’t believe you can add value to or else that gets in the way of what you need to get delivered at that time
6. Remove the distractions — leave your phone in your pocket/bag/desk when you go to a meeting, turn off notifications when you’re working on something or else turn them off altogether!
7. Keep your promises — if you say something will be done by Friday, that you’ll return a call, reply to an email or shout someone a coffee, then do it!
8. Challenge poor behaviour — if someone behaves in an unprofessional manner towards you, then say so or else if you don’t believe it’s safe to do so, then tell someone in HR who can
9. Smile more — the smile is the only expression that’s recognised and interpreted in the same way by every culture in the world, so if you’re having a good day, then let it show
10. Get to bed at a reasonable hour — OK, so this one strictly isn’t about being at work, however, none of the above are possible without a good night’s sleep. 7–8 hours should see you right.