How can you be the best at what you do in your workplace? Here are a few tips.

1. SECRETS TO10TAKE YOUR WORK FROM
GOOD TO GREAT

2. GET YOUR LASER
FOCUS ON.
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3. YOU’RE NOT
CONTRIBUTING MORE
WHEN YOU’RE
MULTITASKING.
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4. YOU’RE NOT
CONTRIBUTING MORE
WHEN YOU’RE
MULTITASKING.
THE TRUTH?
You’re not multitasking. Your mind can only handle
one higher cognitive function at a time. So, in reality -
you’re only task-switching.
1

5. YOU’RE NOT
CONTRIBUTING MORE
WHEN YOU’RE
MULTITASKING.
THE TRUTH?
You’re not multitasking. Your mind can only handle
one higher cognitive function at a time. So, in reality -
you’re only task-switching.
Constantly switching gears drains your energy much
faster than if you focus on one task at a time.
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6. 1
TIP:
GIVE YOURSELF PERMISSION TO DO ONE THING AT A TIME.

7. 1
TIP:
GIVE YOURSELF PERMISSION TO DO ONE THING AT A TIME.
Set aside time to unplug. Close your emails, apps, and
anything digital that could be a distraction.

8. FUEL YOUR OWN
MOTIVATION.
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9. DON’T RELY ON
OTHERS TO PUSH
YOU TO PRODUCE
GREAT WORK.
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10. DON’T RELY ON
OTHERS TO PUSH
YOU TO PRODUCE
GREAT WORK.
You should be the one motivating yourself
to go above and beyond.
2

11. DON’T RELY ON
OTHERS TO PUSH
YOU TO PRODUCE
GREAT WORK.
You should be the one motivating yourself
to go above and beyond.
TIP:
Whenever you receive positive feedback
from your colleagues, write it down.
Use it to inspire yourself later.
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12. PRACTICE,
PRACTICE, PRACTICE.
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13. The difference between
ordinary and extraordinary
is practice.– Vladimir Horowitz
3

14. The difference between
ordinary and extraordinary
is practice.– Vladimir Horowitz
That’s right. Nobody becomes brilliant
by accident.
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15. YOU NEED TO WORK AT IT.
EVERY. DAY.
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16. YOU NEED TO WORK AT IT.
EVERY. DAY.
TIP:
Stop practicing mindlessly and start practicing deliberately.
Analyse where you’re going wrong and refine your processes.
3

17. STRETCH
YOURSELF.
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18. 4
LEAVE YOUR
COMFORT ZONE.

19. 4
LEAVE YOUR
COMFORT ZONE.
If someone offers you an
amazing opportunity and you’re
not sure you can do it, say yes -
then learn how to do it later.
– Richard Branson

20. 4
LEAVE YOUR
COMFORT ZONE.
If someone offers you an
amazing opportunity and you’re
not sure you can do it, say yes -
then learn how to do it later.
– Richard Branson
TIP:
Say yes to “stretch assignments” even if
you have no idea what you’re doing.

21. BE MINDFUL
OF YOUR HABITS.
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22. TO BE THE BEST,
YOU NEED TO TAKE
CARE OF YOURSELF.
It’s time to start eating brain foods.
5

23. TO BE THE BEST,
YOU NEED TO TAKE
CARE OF YOURSELF.
It’s time to start eating brain foods.
TIP:
Ditch the fizzy drinks and chips, and stock your
lunch box with brain healthy foods: Walnuts, fish,
berries, spinach, kale, flax seeds.
5

24. TO BE THE BEST,
YOU NEED TO TAKE
CARE OF YOURSELF.
It’s time to start eating brain foods.
TIP:
Ditch the fizzy drinks and chips, and stock your
lunch box with brain healthy foods: Walnuts, fish,
berries, spinach, kale, flax seeds.
These foods will boost your memory and cognitive
functioning, and give you the advantage you need to
outperform your competitors.
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25. OPTIMISE YOUR
DOWNTIME.
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26. 6
The fittest person is not the one that runs the fastest,
but the one who has optimised their rest time.
– Toni Swartz
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27. 6
The fittest person is not the one that runs the fastest,
but the one who has optimised their rest time.
– Toni Swartz
Start thinking of your days not in terms of how you
manage your time, but how you manage your energy.
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28. 6
The fittest person is not the one that runs the fastest,
but the one who has optimised their rest time.
– Toni Swartz
Start thinking of your days not in terms of how you
manage your time, but how you manage your energy.
TIP:
When your energy levels are low, specifically plan how you’ll use this time to recover:
take a nap, go for a walk, read, or just sit and reflect.
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29. THINK BEFORE
YOU ACT.
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30. 7
ONCE YOU’RE AWARE
OF HOW YOUR ENERGY
LEVELS PEAK AND DIP,
use your peak time to handle the
bigger, more complex decisions.

31. 7
ONCE YOU’RE AWARE
OF HOW YOUR ENERGY
LEVELS PEAK AND DIP,
use your peak time to handle the
bigger, more complex decisions.
TIP:
If you feel you’re in a dip, save the decision for later.

32. 7
ONCE YOU’RE AWARE
OF HOW YOUR ENERGY
LEVELS PEAK AND DIP,
use your peak time to handle the
bigger, more complex decisions.
TIP:
If you feel you’re in a dip, save the decision for later.
This will conserve your energy, and help you
do great work with the tasks that matter.

33. ALIGN YOUR PRIORITIES
TO COMPANY GOALS.
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34. 8
TEAMS PERFORM BETTER WHEN
THEY’RE MOVING IN SYNC.

35. 8
TEAMS PERFORM BETTER WHEN
THEY’RE MOVING IN SYNC.
Make sure to keep tabs on your company’s goals and objectives.

36. 8
TEAMS PERFORM BETTER WHEN
THEY’RE MOVING IN SYNC.
Make sure to keep tabs on your company’s goals and objectives.
TIP:
If your company’s goals are set around the customer experience, make sure your
work puts the customer first. In this way, you’ll be aligned with the performance of
your company, and your work will flourish as a result.

37. BEAT YOUR
LAST SCORE.
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38. 9
THE BIGGEST
OPPONENT TO PROGRESS
IS STAGNATION.
Always try to excel at your work by being better
than you were yesterday.

39. 9
THE BIGGEST
OPPONENT TO PROGRESS
IS STAGNATION.
Always try to excel at your work by being better
than you were yesterday.
If you were able to sort your emails in 10 minutes
yesterday, see if you can do it in 9 minutes today.

40. 9
THE BIGGEST
OPPONENT TO PROGRESS
IS STAGNATION.
Always try to excel at your work by being better
than you were yesterday.
If you were able to sort your emails in 10 minutes
yesterday, see if you can do it in 9 minutes today.
TIP:
Keep notes on how you’re improving, and always have one
big goal in mind. As you move closer to that goal, you’ll feel a
great sense of momentum and your motivation to persevere
will grow.

41. BE HONEST
WITH YOURSELF.
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42. TO GET AHEAD, YOU
NEED TO TAKE TIME
OUT TO REFLECT ON
YOUR DAY HONESTLY.
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43. TO GET AHEAD, YOU
NEED TO TAKE TIME
OUT TO REFLECT ON
YOUR DAY HONESTLY.
TIP:
• Analyse what you did for the day.
• Be critical of what worked and what didn’t.
• Think about where you can improve.
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44. TO GET AHEAD, YOU
NEED TO TAKE TIME
OUT TO REFLECT ON
YOUR DAY HONESTLY.
TIP:
• Analyse what you did for the day.
• Be critical of what worked and what didn’t.
• Think about where you can improve.
Doing this consistently will give you a
game plan that takes your work from
good to great.
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45. Being great at what you do
isn’t easy - it takes hard work,
determination and perseverance.

46. Being great at what you do
isn’t easy - it takes hard work,
determination and perseverance.
BUT, BE GLAD
IT ISN’T EASY.

47. Being great at what you do
isn’t easy - it takes hard work,
determination and perseverance.
BUT, BE GLAD
IT ISN’T EASY.
Because, when you finally break
through that barrier, you’ll know you
deserve every bit of success.

48. BE CONSISTENT,

49. BE CONSISTENT,
AND KEEP PUSHING.

50. BE CONSISTENT,
AND KEEP PUSHING.
YOU’VE GOT THIS.

51. Empower yourself with a world-class education
from the University of Cape Town and GetSmarter:
getsmarter.co.za

52. Improving lives through better education
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