Mar 17 2024 7 mins
Going the extra mile can provide several benefits, such as a sense of purpose, feeling good, and improving knowledge, which can help boost one's career prospects.
However, working beyond the limits of one's job could lead to emotional exhaustion, cause work-family conflict, and harm mental health. It is essential to consider what "going the extra mile" means regarding frequency and content and assess its possibilities to avoid it becoming a threat.
You must communicate your exceptional work to show you are going the extra mile. And as a team player, convey enthusiasm for the job, and use one's personality to bring value to the job.
Jane Malyon of The English Cream Tea Company went the extra mile by making a hamper from scratch and driving it 90 minutes each way to ensure her customer's birthday gift arrived. This illustrates how going the extra mile can significantly impact and create a loyal customer base.
The better you are at your core job, the more likely you will put yourself at risk by going the extra mile. A pushback on always going the extra mile has created “The Quiet Quitter”. If work becomes too intense, consider remedial action, such as being seen regularly at the office and easing off by doing your job well for the agreed hours, not constantly slacking.
In conclusion, going the extra mile can have several benefits, such as improving job satisfaction, boosting career prospects, and setting an excellent benchmark for colleagues to aspire.
However, it is necessary to assess the possibilities of going the extra mile and avoid it becoming a threat to mental health.
Can't wait for Series 2 to run its course? Then buy Andrew's new book, published on Amazon, and there's also an Audio version.
Further reading and videos: Andrew recommends some useful follow through material which you can find for each episode at50Ways.site/reading; and 50Ways.site/watch.
BOOK:
The 50 Ways to Succeed at Work book is a standalone companion to Andrew Leigh's weekly podcasts.
It's an essential resource for all job starters and those at work for a few years.
Dip in and out and take what seems helpful.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0BRM569KY