Managing oneself is a skill that’s rarely taught.
At a high level, managing oneself means faithfully deploying personal and professional duties without losing control.
For most people, manging oneself becomes a priority in high school. Around that time, we get a taste of competing priorities and increasing deadlines. Optimally working is necessary for success.
The habits built in high-school and college carry into adulthood. Although, they aren’t as useful as the world becomes unstructured.
Most students ease into the transition by taking entry-level jobs that carry over a sense of structure from academia to avoid culture shock. However, I’ve found that those who learn to operate outside of it tend to grow the most post-college.
For me operating comes down to the following principles:
- Do work to the best of your ability
- Seek help sooner than later
- Don’t sacrifice health or relationships
- Show up on time and be responsive
- Don’t be a bottleneck for others
- Read when possible to constantly learn new things
- Make space for your mental health when necessary
The best resource I’ve found is:
Managing Yourself by Peter Drucker.
A more philosophical book on the topic:
The Art of Living by Epictetus
One more in line with managing your emotions:
Awareness by Anthony De Mello
