Ability to Work Independently

Ability to Work Independently

Importance of ability to Work Independently 

One of the abilities that we require the most is our ability to work independently. Working independently actually means :-  

• Being self-aware, self-monitoring and self-regulating. 
• Knowing what you need to do and when. 
• Taking initiative rather than waiting for someone else to give us instructions what to do. 
• Doing what is asked to the best of our ability without any external or internal fear. 
• Leaning to work at a decent pace so that our work is completed on time. 
• Taking ownership of our mistakes and not looking for excuses. 
• Not letting our self-doubt or negative emotions hamper are present or future actions. 

The following are the seven necessary skills that we need to hold in order to work independently - 

1. Organizational skills :- It is an essential requirement to know what to do, when and where to start and when to finish everything on time. 

2. Multitasking ability :- It is your ability to work on more than one thing at a time and complete each of them with required proficiency. 

3. Discipline :- It is most important skill to keep you and your actions in track for the successful completion of the task at hand. 

4. Communication skills :- It helps you connect with yourself as well as with others for the support and cooperation required to finish the work at hand. 

5. Negotiating skills :- It is your ability to see the bigger picture. It calls for forsightedness and willingness to accommodate others ideas for the benefit of all. 

6. Flexibility or Adaptability :- It is your quality to adapt your working style without compromising with the quality of work to suit other people working with you. 

7. Ability to deal with rejection and not to take it personally :- This calls for a self 'never-say-die; attitude and open-mindedness to face failure and yet not get disheartened and start afresh. 

Self-Awareness

Self-awareness refers to your knowledge and understanding of yourself - your emotions, your beliefs, values, knowledge base, abilities, motivations, biases, interests, etc. 

Your self-awareness includes recognition of your own personality, your strengths and weaknesses ,your likes and dislikes. It makes you conscious of your own moods, emotions and drives. As we move ahead in the knowledge-based economy the need to upgrade our knowledge and skills to keep pace with the 'permanent white waters' becomes all the more important. However, the starting point should be the knowledge of oneself as a unique individual and how one relates to the new economy. When you are self-aware you almost always know how you are going to respond to certain good or bad situation. Developing self-awareness can help you in recognizing when you are stressed or under pressure. This knowledge also capacitates you to have effective communication and productive interpersonal relations.

Self-Motivation 

Self motivation refers to your ability to identify effective methods of getting yourself to move from thought to action. 

A common barrier to action is often the perception that a task is too large or too complex to accomplish. If that is an issue for you, then a useful practice is to break down the job into several smaller, more doable tasks each of which you can envision accomplishing in a set time period. 

Your self-regulation allows you to keep a tab on your own emotions resulting as your response to a specific event and attune your actions accordingly to accomplish your set goal.