Congratulations! No one is going to call you a kid now that you are out of college and starting work! Yep, gone are the days when people called you immature and treated you like a kid. It’s your time to show them you’ve grown up and are turning into a responsible person, ready to fly in the working world.
But that also means that you need to say goodbye to certain habits that stop you from growing into an adult and all that comes along with it. Yes, the struggle is real.
There are so many things that we don’t need to think about while we are still in college – managing finances, being independent, balancing personal and work life, savings, etc. But once you get out of college life and step into work life, it is a new environment that you need to adapt to.
Here is some help coming your way. Try to get rid of these 4 bad habits that spoilt you in college (believe me, all of us inherited them) as you get ready to climb the huge mountain of your career that feels bigger than the Himalayas.
Time to get out of your lazy comfortable world, little one (I’ll call you an adult after you’ve given up on these habits).
- Get out of that fantasy world of yours – the social media
The internet and you – a deadly combination. Instagram, Snapchat and Facebook were like oxygen for you in college. Every two minutes you need to check your phone, post on social media on a regular basis (because hey, it’s your standard we’re talking about and how else would people get updates about your life, right?), and be obsessed with what others are up to and be better than them in your next post. You cannot have any of this once you start working. Nope. It’s time to get serious and focus on important things like being productive at work and getting results. You cannot waste time on social media thinking about your image in the virtual world; you need to work hard and create an image in the real world. Social media is not a bad thing, you sure should use it, but don’t let it consume you.
- Communication
Learning how to communicate clearly, effectively and with no negativity is an art you need to now master. Keeping it professional and healthy is very important because you are now an adult and you cannot use casual language at your workplace with your colleagues, and definitely not with your boss! Get rid of that foul language if you developed it through high school or college and build a sense of positivity and politeness in your communication with your colleagues. Be sure of what you want to say or express, don’t ramble. People take you seriously only when you learn how to communicate effectively.
- Watch that temper!
If something goes wrong at your workplace, you cannot react with your temper. You need to watch it. It shows poorly on your part. If you make a mistake, learn to admit it. Don’t try to deny it, thinking that it will fade away. Admit it and correct that mistake. This is an admirable quality in the workplace. Also, if your boss/colleague gives you constructive feedback, take it positively with an open heart to work towards it. Don’t dismiss it with anger. Only when you learn to accept criticism positively, you can grow and flourish in the way your workplace needs you to.
- Taking care of yourself
Work life can be overwhelming. Getting into a new phase of life can do that to you. While learning to adjust and adapt to your work, don’t forget to take care of yourself. You’re not in college anymore where live like a nomad almost all the time with pizza and booze. You need to build a healthy lifestyle with good eating habits and regular exercise to keep you fit and productive!
Ready to start adulting? Go, my child. Wear your wings and fly.
