Strong attention to detail is a skill that increases effectiveness and productivity at work and decreases error. Being detail-oriented is essential to delivering high-quality work, which is why it is a highly sought-after skill in the job market. You might not possess all of the habits of detail-oriented people, but you don’t have to throw in the towel and make this an excuse to become a slob. Here are a few things you can do in your workplace to help you get into the habit of paying attention to detail.
Train yourself to slow down and breathe
Learning to take your time may be the hardest task to master on this list, but it’s also the most important. If you find yourself missing details, the best thing you can do is train yourself to slow down. You may be a talented multi-tasker, and your ability to get things done at a breakneck pace can be a useful skill. But rushing through things is the number-one way to miss important details.
Get into the habit of checking your work
There is no such thing as a perfect first draft—that’s why they’re called first drafts. If you turn in work or “finish” a task without looking back over it with a detailed eye, then you will have a hard time attaining that “detail-oriented” status. There are a few good rules for becoming a good revisor. First, it’s always best to take a breather between finishing a job and revising it. This allows you to clear your head and refocus on the new task of revising, rather than creating or working.
Engage in activities that train your focus
Focus is connected to attention to detail: focusing on a task reduces your rate of error. You can develop focus by participating in activities designed to enhance concentration. Examples of focus-sharpening activities include puzzles and memory tasks, and games such as “Where is Waldo?”. These will task your brain, improve your ability to focus, and increase your attention to detail. You can also consider using tools like apps that help you assign blocks of time to focus on specific tasks.
Confirm facts and ask critical questions
Don’t just blindly accept information or instructions. Make sure that you are hyper-critical about things going on around your workplace, including the projects you undertake, the tasks you do, and your work in general. Don’t be afraid to ask difficult questions, close the loop, and nitpick the little things, as long as you do them respectfully.
Check yourself
Conduct regular self-assessments to determine how well your efforts to be efficient and detail-oriented at work are doing. Have you overlooked projects, missed deadlines, made mistakes or otherwise run behind? Continually tracking where you are and where you want to be will help keep you focused on this ongoing professional development effort.
If you aren’t someone who is naturally detail oriented, don’t fret. Learning to focus on details is a skill you can learn, with a bit of practice. With the methods in this blog post, you’ll eventually be able to demonstrate to employers, friends, and family that you really are one of those people who focuses on the details.
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