Life as an engineer can be tough. You’re constantly busy doing whatever is asked of you, you also have to handle the business side of things which you may or may not have any experience in, and most of all, you have to balance it out with time for yourself, for your social circle, and for your family. In such a busy schedule, it feels almost impossible to get things done.
Think about it though: your higher ups must have gone through the same. Your engineering idols must have struggled to. All of your coworkers are going through the same, but don’t seem to mind. So what’s the difference between you and them?
Well, it may be because you still do these 3 things, and It’s about time to get rid of them:
Negative self-talk
Source: Tenor
Procrastinations starts when you tell yourself “I can’t do this”, or “I don’t have time for that”. But have you ever thought about why we think this way? Well, the reason is always the same: we’re afraid of failing. We’re afraid of trying our hardest to do something, but falling short. By not trying, you’re saving yourself from the risk of failing.
But you’ll have to do it eventually, and by pushing it aside, you’re giving yourself less time, and you’re more likely to fail. It’s a lose-lose situation.
How about thinking of it this way: the person next to you is no smarter than you are. All your co-workers are probably have the same level of skill as you do, and yet they still can get things done. If they can do it, why can’t you? Stop being afraid and start motivating yourself. Think “If they can do this, then so can I.”
Taking In Big Tasks All At Once
Source: Cook in Five Square Meters
Break big tasks into smaller pieces. This is a piece of advice that’s been given time and time again yet everyone seems to ignore it. To those who have, however, swear by it. A huge, overwhelming project can seem intimidating until you’ve broken it down, piece by piece, and do it one at a time.
You might be assigned to create a new product, for instance. Break that down into bits. First thing to do is come up with sketches and ideas. Next are the calculations to see if the design would work. Third are the blueprints. Forth is collecting the materials. Fifth is making the parts. Sixth is putting them together. Seventh is testing the prototype, and so on and so forth.
This not only makes everything so much easier, but it gives you a sense of accomplishment for every little bit that’s finished.
Not Taking a break
Source: Degrassi Wiki
Working non-stop is just setting yourself up to be drained and burnt-out. When you realize you’ve been spending too much time on something, give yourself time to step back. Relax for a few minutes. Have some quality time with your friends and family. Do your hobbies. Never sacrifice your “me” time for your job. Sometimes, you just have to unplug.
Source: Keep Calm-O-Matic
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