What do you do if your boss expects high-quality work consistently?

1 Understand your boss's expectations

The first step is to understand what your boss means by high-quality work. Does he or she have specific standards, criteria, or deadlines that you need to follow? Or is it more subjective and based on his or her personal preferences? Ask for clear and constructive feedback on your performance and how you can improve. Also, communicate your own expectations and needs, such as resources, support, or recognition. By aligning your goals and expectations, you can avoid misunderstandings and conflicts.

2 Prioritize your tasks

The second step is to prioritize your tasks according to their importance and urgency. You can use a simple matrix to categorize your tasks into four quadrants: important and urgent, important but not urgent, urgent but not important, and not important and not urgent. Focus on the tasks that are important and urgent, and plan ahead for the ones that are important but not urgent. Delegate or eliminate the tasks that are not important, and avoid distractions and interruptions that waste your time.

4 Balance your quality and speed

The fourth step is to balance your quality and speed of work. While you want to deliver high-quality work, you also need to meet deadlines and avoid delays. To achieve this balance, you need to find the optimal level of quality that satisfies your boss and your customers, without compromising your standards or integrity. You can use the 80/20 rule, which states that 80% of the results come from 20% of the effort, to identify the most important aspects of your work and focus on them. You can also use the Pareto principle, which states that 20% of the errors cause 80% of the problems, to eliminate the most common and costly mistakes.

5 Ask for help

The fifth step is to ask for help when you need it. You don't have to do everything by yourself, and you can benefit from the expertise, experience, and support of others. You can ask your boss for guidance, feedback, or resources, especially if you encounter challenges or difficulties. You can also ask your colleagues for assistance, collaboration, or advice, especially if they have similar or complementary skills. Furthermore, you can seek external help, such as mentors, coaches, or consultants, if you want to improve your skills, knowledge, or performance.

6 Take care of yourself

The sixth and final step is to take care of yourself and your well-being. Working under high expectations can be stressful and exhausting, and it can affect your physical, mental, and emotional health. Therefore, you need to practice self-care and maintain a healthy lifestyle. You can do this by getting enough sleep, eating well, exercising regularly, and relaxing. You can also do activities that make you happy, such as hobbies, hobbies, or socializing. Moreover, you need to set boundaries and say no when necessary, to avoid overcommitting or burning out.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?