How to Get Ahead at Work Without Becoming a Workaholic

How to Get Ahead at Work Without Becoming a WorkaholicHow to Get Ahead at Work Without Becoming a WorkaholicI watched Wolf of Wall Street recently, which inspired several flashbacks to my days in finance, working in the pit for a large bank. Seeing those crowded trading desks and excited sales traders reminded me how hard most of those people worked to try to get ahead.Probably too hard.While Im koranvers many firms dealing on Wall Street did their fair share of after-hours partying, I never saw it. Mostly because it seemed that hardly anyone ever left the sekretariat long enough to get up to much mischief. The first people in the office were almost always among the last to leave, and I remember witnessing more than a few contrite phone calls to spouses and loved ones, as my co-workers canceled on yet anotherbeibei dinner, birthday party, or family vacation. Sure, there was probably a lot of money on the table, but was working 18-hour days really the way to success?Fortunately, I hav e also worked with a few successful people throughout my career who managed to keep climbing the corporate ladder without stomping all over their personal lives in the process. Here are a few lessons Ive learned from them over the years on how to achieve success at work- without selling your soul. Lesson 1 Gain a Loyal FollowingHaving co-workers, employees, or kollektiv members you can turn to at work is great for a lot of reasons- but its also an ideal strategy for helping you accomplish more than you ever thought possible. Take one of my old baboes, for example. She had worked for the firm for over a decade and knew everyones job inside and out. She was a great mentor and easy to work with, and she always came to bat for us when we needed her. As a result, the team was fiercely loyal to her. If one of us saw her staying late, wed ask her how we could help, so she could go home. If she had to give a presentation or leave town for a conference, a handful of us would jump to help her prepare or cover her workload while she was out. The team was so loyal to her that she rarely had to ask us to do anything- we almost always offered first. As a result, we were one of the most efficient, successful teams in our division, and no one had any doubt it was due, in large part, to our fearless leader.Having loyal employees who will go above and beyond to help you is something you couldnt achieve on your own, no matter how many nights and weekends you worked. Yes, youll have to put in some extra hours and effort up front, but once youve proven yourself to your team, their loyalty will already begin to pay dividends. Lesson 2 OutsourceThis concept is nothing new, but for those of us with specific ideas on how a job should be approached, its a difficult one to put into practice. But, ignore the benefit of outsourcing (or delegating) and youll quickly find yourself burning the midnight oil.Take my boss, a few years back, as a cautionary example. He was a perfectionist and ha d high standards for the work our team produced. Those high standards naturally rubbed off on the rest of the team, and before long, we were fully capable of performing all our duties to the highest standard. Unfortunately, our boss had a difficult time letting go and would often micromanage us so severely that he eventually just took over our projects himself. By the time he was finished, he was behind on his own work. Thankfully, my boss eventually realized he had to start letting go. He started out by delegating the tasks he knew he couldnt finish, and before long, he was comfortable outsourcing larger projects. Once the work was more evenly distributed, he was happier at work- and finally had the time to actually manage the team. If youre starting feel like your work is taking over your entire life, its probably time to start thinking about outsourcing some of your responsibilities. Start with smaller tasks, and gradually add more responsibility as you become comfortable with th e results. Just make sure you dont micromanage the process, and before you know it, youll have more time to focus on your professional growth- and, youll be a lot happier at work.Lesson 3 Make a To-Do and a Done ListIve always been a big fan of lists, and theyre an especially important ingredient for attaining workplace success while minimizing your workload. Not only do lists help you keep track of what you need to accomplish, but theyre also a great historical record of what youve achieved. Ill never forget a conversation I was having with a boss years ago, when he admitted he didnt really know what I did on a daily basis. I politely excused myself and ran to my desk and grabbed my trusty notebook. When I returned, we sat down, and I flipped through over a years worth of daily lists, detailing everything from large, long-term projects to daily deadlines. He was impressed with how much more I was doing, and when our year-end comp discussion rolled around a few months later, I had n o objections to the raise I had asked for.Lists will keep you organized and on track when youre overloaded with work, but more importantly, theyll serve as a historical record of how awesome you are. And when you can point to a list that shows exactly what youve accomplished- well, then youll have to worry less about making sure your boss knows youre clocking 12 hours each day.Lesson 4 Redefine SuccessOne of the saddest sights Ive seen in my career is of an executive holed up in her office late at night on a Friday before a long weekend. There was no doubt shed become a massive success at work- but, well, that was about it. She worked tirelessly and never allowed herself any time for fun or relaxation. As a result, she was perpetually tired, and as far as the rest of the team could tell, she no longer loved the job shed sacrificed so much for.On the flip side, there was her colleague well call Betty. Betty was just as successful, however, she made a point to create and uphold strict work-life boundaries. During working hours, Betty was a machine. But, when quitting time rolled around, she was out the door and never looked back. Management respected her efficiency, her team loved working for her, and her family still recognized her face.In my book? Betty got it right. You probably cant enjoy your job if youre overworked and exhausted- and the more you enjoy your work, the better youll be at your job. If you set boundaries, have a life outside of work, and take time to recharge whenever you can, youll likely find youre much more productive- and successful- from 9 to 5.Success comes at a price, theres no doubt about it. But, how you pay that price is up to you. Follow these tips, and youll find success is well within your reach, and youll still have the health and energy to enjoy the fruits of your labors.Photo of coffee and paper courtesy of Shutterstock.