Practical Practice Management A Division of Top Practices

Have you ever “slacked off” with your job duties? You know, not really doing what is expected of you?

If we were honest with ourselves, we probably would find that we have done things that fall into this category more often than we would admit.

Here are a couple of examples that could fit in that “slacker” category.

• You put off doing things you need to get done today so that you can enjoy a lighter load today and not work too hard. You are hoping that tomorrow you will feel like busting it to get it all done.
• If you are in the retail industry, and a customer would like a certain item and it is not on the floor, instead of looking in the stockroom or calling another store to see if they have it you tell the customer, “I am sorry if there is none on the shelf, then we are out of stock.”
• If you work in a medical or dental office and get a call from a person who feels they need to be seen right away and instead of overloading your schedule because it will cause more work for you and the chance of running behind, you tell the patient, “Sorry we have no openings.”
• You work in a restaurant, and you feel it is okay not to provide great service to your customers at their tables, refilling water, asking, “if everything is okay?” or “Is there anything else I can do for you?”

Whatever your job is ask yourself if you are compromising the service you are expected to give by your employer’s standards?  Many times we let our standards fall, which can happen for many reasons, such as struggling in your personal life, or possibly a lack of self-motivation.  It could be work related, apathy or lack of leadership at work.

The one thing we need to remember is that our employer hired us to do a job and with that job came expectations on how we should do it.

It is good to self-evaluate how you are doing at your job, are you bringing the best “you” to work every day? I am sure your employer is expecting you to.

Another good thing to do is to ask yourself “if I were paying my paycheck would l feel that I am getting all that I am paying for?” Your reputation rides on your ability to deliver the best each day when you go to work. Each day before you open the door to go in to work, stop and ask yourself, am I bringing my best self to work today?