I have always believed in the simple life. But I didn’t really know how to lead one. Life for me was a piece of cake; I enjoyed every slice of it without really caring where it came from. At the age of 22, a few months into my first job, I was nothing more than an amateur engineer. The child inside me was finding it difficult to get a place for myself in this fast paced world.
I was reluctant to change and adapt. Very soon, my immaturity landed me in a cesspool of dissatisfied managers, complaints and finally a poor appraisal. It was now high time for me to look for guidance. And before I could initiate a plan, I needed to be clear in my wants and needs. It was time to have clarity of thought in terms of self-assessment. An effective plan for me would be something that would help me strike a balance between my professional and personal self.
The introspection pointed out the obvious - I was not sincere and honest in my efforts. I was not giving the assigned tasks my best. This left me at a loss. I felt low. Soon the big question popped up, what was stopping me from putting in my 100 per cent? Was I really dumb?
Hours of pondering yielded that I lacked interest in my work, may be because I was placed very low in hierarchy. I discussed this lack of motivation with my mentor, who made me understand that no work should be considered menial; that your position in the hierarchy does not really matter until you give your job your best. For this, some change was needed.
I started with weeding out unwanted activities, things and people from my life, work and otherwise. I developed a willingness to complete my work and this kindled an enthusiasm for the job. I realized that unless you are willing to put your best foot forward, no matter how hard you try your efficiency will remain wanting.
Soon, I was utilizing my time better. I refrained from office gossip and useless reading. I managed to halve my problems in a month's time. My new found honesty and willingness became my motivation. My concentration on work rose and I was happy with my professional life. I had grown from a lackadaisical individual to a hardworking, honest and enthusiastic professional. My outlook towards my job changed. I was happier than before.
Days and months passed by and soon my hard work and long hours began to seem monotonous. My hard work resembled that of a donkey’s, going about its daily business. Enthusiasm had taken the shape of a forced smile. It was time to strategize again. Hard work needed a new perspective. A step up to smart work was the need of the hour. I focused on optimizing my time and efforts.
However, smart work practices cannot be achieved overnight. It comes into existence only after a lot of hard work has been practiced. It is the next natural stage. An example in understanding would be executing manual tests first to understand the functionality of the application and then moving on to automation.
Hence, the new mantra of my professional life revolved around (S)mart work, (H)onesty and (E)nthusiasm - SHE. In no time the three became my friends, who changed me not only as a professional but also as a person. I had brought out a new facet in me. I was exposed to the "SHE" in me. And “SHE” made me believe that any work done with honesty, hard work and determination never goes in vain. Even God will not let you down once you have given things your best shot.
This may sound a bit preachy, but I am sure you identify with what I have said. Try it and see the difference.
