How to Take Pride in Your Work

Adopting the Right Mindset

Start your day with positive affirmations to get you in the right mindset. Rather than getting up and dreading the day, remind yourself that you're fortunate to have a job and to get to work, even if you don't love what you're doing. Try to remember that if you aren't happy where you are, your situation doesn't have to be permanent. Commit to doing a good job in the space where you currently are. Choosing to be an active participant in your job rather than a reluctant one can make a huge difference in your attitude and productivity, which in turn can really help make you more proud of the work you do.

Remember the “why” behind your work. Of course, most people work because they need to make a living. Beyond that, though, are you working to help take care of a family, to provide a life for yourself, to help out your community, to learn a new trade, to meet new people, or to offer your skills to others? Try to remember that there is more to your work than just getting a paycheck. Keeping the right motivation in mind will help you take more pride in your work, and it'll keep you in the right mindset during times when you might feel unsatisfied or bored.

Take ownership of your work rather than letting others dictate your success. If you are working on a project either by yourself or in a group, decide that you personally are going to do the best job that you can. It could be easy to blame a coworker or partner for your work being subpar, but in reality, your work efforts are up to you. If you are working with someone who isn't doing their part, talk to them about it directly. If that doesn't work, bring the situation up to your supervisor or boss. Avoid criticizing the person or complaining about them. Instead, say something simple, like, “Hi Renee, I wanted to let you know that Joe has been coming in late to work the past few weeks. It's affecting our ability to get the store opened up in time. I wanted to make you aware of the issue.”

Avoid complaining about your job, boss, or coworkers. If you focus on the negative or annoying things, you'll feel less motivated to do a good job. When you feel tempted to complain, instead think of something positive to say. For example, if you are annoyed by how often you're asked to cover for a coworkers task, instead try thinking about how you feel proud that your boss can rely on you to help pick up the slack.

Creating Something You Can Be Proud of

Take time to prepare for your day rather than winging it. It'll be easier for you to stay focused and motivated if you start your tasks with a clear head, so take 10 to 20 minutes at the beginning of each day to write a to-do list, review your calendar, and respond to a few emails. Giving yourself a little mental breathing space before jumping into things will help make you a better worker. Make it a goal to get to the office 10 to 20 minutes early each day for one week and see how it changes your attitude throughout the day.

Focus on the quality of your work, even if no one will ever see it. You'll feel better about your work and about yourself if you commit to doing the best job you can do in any situation. Instead of trying to rush through a task or project simply to get it done, ask yourself, “Is this something I can be proud of?"Tip: There are definitely times where you may have a time constraint for a project. If that's the case, do the best job you can in the time allotted. Think about ways you can streamline your work to really focus, like turning off your phone, not browsing the internet, and taking minimal breaks.

Take the initiative to go above and beyond the minimum expectations. Proofread your work, do tasks that you notice need to be done, even if they aren't technically your responsibility, answer questions that might come up down the road, and think outside of your job description. Think about ways you can make your work even more dynamic, and try to implement those ideas when you can. For example, if your job is to write a report about sales from the previous month, you could also include information about holidays, employees calling off work, power outages, and other factors that may have affected the results. Taking initiative and being responsible doesn't mean you have all the answers. If you're unsure of how to do something, don't be afraid to ask questions.

Set up accountability if you need help doing your best work. Sometimes people do need a little reinforcement to help them stay on track, and that's perfectly fine. If you need this, arrange with a supervisor or a coworker to check in at a specific time every week for a “mini-deadline” to help you get your work done in time. For example, if you're working on a big presentation that is due in a month, arrange to send your supervisor a copy of what you've worked on every Friday at noon. That way, you know you have several deadlines to work toward and need to show something new every week rather than procrastinating until the last day to get things done.

Responding to Praise

Accept compliments with a smile and a “thank you.” When someone praises your work, accept the recognition rather than brushing it away. You don't need to elaborate on how much work you did, but there is nothing wrong with graciously letting others recognize your work. Try saying something like this the next time someone compliments your work: “I appreciate your noticing my work; thanks for telling me.” “I'm really pleased everything went well with the project.” “Thank you. It was hard work, but I'm glad I was able to do it.”

Avoid downplaying your work or being self-deprecating. When people pay attention to your work, you may be tempted to say that it was nothing, it wasn't hard work, or someone else could have done it better. If you feel tempted to say things like this, simply say “thank you,” and smile. It takes practice to accept compliments and to not feel uncomfortable from the attention. Remember, you did good work and there is nothing wrong with admitting you worked hard!

Give recognition to people who helped you. While it's important to graciously accept praise, it's just as important to recognize and name the people who were instrumental in your success. Maybe you worked on a team or got a lot of helpful information from a senior coworker. Try saying something like: “Thank you. It was definitely a team effort and my coworkers and I worked hard on the project.” “Thanks so much. Robert from the underwriting department really helped me understand the processes so much better.” “Mary definitely helped encourage me to keep going when I got stuck."

Ask a question to keep the conversation moving. After you've accepted a compliment, move the conversation along so that it doesn't seem like you just want to talk more about yourself. For example, you could say something like, “Thank you so much, Mark. It was a hard project but it feels good to have done it. By the way, I heard you were working on a new proposal. How is that going?”Tip: If people have questions about your work or want more information, then it's totally okay to keep the focus on you. Just try to take cues from the other person to know when it's time to move on.

Remember that you can take pride in your work even if no one sees it. Depending on the kind of work you do, you may not ever have someone give you a lot of praise for it. You can definitely still feel proud of your work, and you can even mention that you're proud when telling other people about what you do. For example, if someone asks you how work is going, you could say something like, “It's going well. I actually just completed a month-long research project and feel really good about what I did.” Always act excited and sincere when you talk about your work. If you are inspired about what you just accomplished, you'll come across as genuine and your passion will be contagious. Try not to act like you're desperate for compliments. Unfortunately, some people may not have the capacity to congratulate or even be happy for you.