5 Habits of Successful Women: Get (and Stay) on Top
There are a few things that many successful women have in common, and it’s not about personality type. Habits can be cultivated, and leveraged to help you be successful. It’s not all about experience, though that helps too – it’s about dedication to behaving like a successful person must. Here are 5 habits that many successful women cultivate.
Own your actions.
On first blush, it might be hard to believe that this can be achieved by making a habit out of it, but I assure you it’s possible. Things are bound to go wrong now and again. Own your part and be accountable, and be solutions oriented.
This can be achieved through these simple steps:
First, when a situation comes up, listen to what happened.
Second, detach yourself from blame in your mind. Replace that blame with fact: you were a part of the situation.
Third, remind yourself that you can also be part of the solution.
Fourth, start thinking about solutions to the problem at hand.
Fifth, think about ways to improve processes that will help to prevent the same situation from occurring in the future.
Be task oriented.
Whether you use task managers like Evernote, tasks through Gmail, plain paper, a white board, or some other method, make checklists. Use them to help you stay on track, stay motivated, and manage the details.
Cultivate constructive feedback habits.
When you have to give feedback, avoid the urge to blame, respond in anger, or berate your coworkers or employees (or anyone.) Take time to approach the person from a place of compassion. It’s not about babying, it’s about helping people improve.
Keep moving.
Our brains require a lot of energy. In addition to eating well, it’s imperative that we keep our bodies moving. I like exercise, so it’s easy for me to exercise before and or after work. If you’re not into exercise, even a walk around the block can restore focus, promote healthy circulation, and keep us from feeling like we’re glued to our work (and our seats.) Take time to move around at regular intervals.
Be proactive.
Get in front of big projects early. Make a habit of getting ahead on tasks wherever and whenever you can. Likewise, get in front of unpleasant situations and sort them out before frustrations and other potential damage begin to fester.
