Have you ever stopped for a second and thought about all of the things you do at work in a week? There are some tasks most of us need to do to be successful at our jobs. But do you also find yourself doing other tasks like administrative work, planning and setting up for parties, or training new employees? And have these responsibilities started to take over your work days?  

If so, you’re not alone. These types of tasks are called “non-promotable tasks” and women volunteer for them far more often than men. 

Dorie Clark’s new book, The Long Game: How To Be A Long-Term Thinker In A Short-Term World delves into how the little tasks we do day to day at work may be harming our long-term career strategy.

Chapters:

00:00: Introduction

02:57: Busyness as an Anesthetic

07:42: Defining Long-Term and Short-Term Thinking

14:56: The Importance of Saying No

18:32: Optimizing for Interesting

25:56: Career Waves and Making Smart Choices

28:51: Conclusion

Takeaways:

• Non-promotable tasks, such as administrative work and planning office parties, can take up valuable time and prevent you from focusing on tasks that align with your long-term career goals.
• It is important to recognize and address overworking as a coping mechanism.
• Long-term thinking involves considering the big picture and making choices that optimize for interesting and meaningful work.
• Saying no can be challenging, but it is important to set boundaries and prioritize tasks that align with personal and professional goals.
• Asking important questions, such as the total cost and physical/emotional impact of a task, can help evaluate requests and make informed decisions.
• Navigating different phases of a career involves transitioning between learning, sharing, connecting, and reaping phases, and being willing to disrupt oneself to avoid stagnation.

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