If you have to do something, make sure you do it to the best of your ability.
I’ve begun my second job and I’ve been training the past few weeks. There’s a lot to learn in order to help in the kitchen, at the bar, and at the espresso machine. Now, if it were up to me, I’d lock myself to the coffee station and never leave. But the job entails floating around the shop.
The past two shifts were spent in the kitchen, cleaning and closing. They were slow nights, giving me time to complete all the tasks, but it still took the entire shift. There was a part of me that didn’t want to be doing this. I thought, “I want to make coffee, not clean the kitchen!” but this is what I signed up for.
I’m not someone who half-asses a job, even if it’s not ideal. Even when I had a sales job, I worked through my grievances and tried my best to do well. So I thought about this more. I realized, since I have to clean the kitchen, I should do it to the best of my ability.
I love thinking analytically, coming up with new methods, and finding efficient procedures. Cleaning the kitchen is tedious if you want to do it well, but there are always ways to improve. So I took advantage of asking myself the right questions and let my brain ponder “How can I do these tasks better/ more efficiently?’
You may not always be doing exactly what you want to be doing, but that shouldn’t mean you stop trying your best. To be someone who has work ethic, tries their best, and takes on every task, you cannot pick and choose your moments. Possessing these qualities means acting on them whenever they’re put to the test, not just when you feel like it.
If you find yourself in a scenario that’s less than ideal, but necessary to endure, endure it with the same attitude you would with something you love. Do everything to the best of your ability and never stop trying to improve your methods. The task may be annoying, tedious, or boring, but you have the power to perform it well and prove you’re someone who does what’s necessary.
February 1, 2023
