As an engineering professional, you need to stay focused on keeping your productivity and efficiency at its highest. This fact holds true whether you are a junior engineer new to your career, or a grizzled veteran serving in a leadership role. Self-managing helps ensure you are able to juggle multiple responsibilities while staying on target.
Let’s take a closer look at some of the concepts of effective self-managing. It simply helps you do a better job. Leverage this advice to become a more mindful and productive engineer.
Managing Your Time and Schedule
Proactively managing the hours in every workday is arguably the first self-managing skill you learn. In fact, your time management skills likely began to develop during college or even high school. It’s important to get a feel for how long it takes to perform certain tasks so you are able to schedule your day to be as productive as possible.
Granted, engineering is a collaborative effort, so meetings and other work-related social activities also end up on your schedule. This makes time-management skills important, as allowing enough time for personal work is vital for success as an engineer.
Reliably Leading by Example
Over time, your ability to self-manage prepares you for becoming an engineering manager. Displaying leadership potential when still working in an engineering role gets you started. Providing a great example to your fellow workers, including mentoring those new to the field, attracts the attention of your bosses; putting you on a career path to success.
Additionally, reliability is an essential skill for any engineering professional. This concept applies whether you are a manager or still working as an engineer.
Engineering Managers Need to Be Engaged and Visible
When managing a team of engineers, consistent interaction with your direct reports is essential. Holding Agile-like daily standup meetings is a good idea, as it gives your engineers a chance to be heard. Also stay engaged and visible throughout the office, while always being open to new ideas and feedback from your team.
Work-Life Balance Also Matters
Maintaining a proper balance between your personal and professional lives is another essential part of self-managing. Don’t overwork yourself or your team. Proper time management plays a key role in attaining the right work-life balance.
When you need additional advice on your technology career, speak with the experts at Venteon. As one of the top technical staffing agencies in the Midwest, we also know the companies looking for talented professionals. Click to browse our open IT jobs!