Thoroughness

November 2022 Character Core

Merriam-Webster describes thorough as “careful about detail; painstaking”. To be thorough implies attention to the small details and specific intentionality in completing the task. What does it look like to be thorough? Let’s look first at what it doesn’t look like. The University of British Columbia’s Career Framework gives some examples: failing to complete tasks on schedule, neglecting to include necessary information, and ignoring the details demonstrates a lack of thoroughness. On the flip side, someone who properly organizes tasks by their importance is consistent and intentional in their work, and works to complete projects in a timely manner clearly shows a thorough work ethic.

Being thorough takes work and can seem overwhelming. Here are some steps to help you get started.

1. Get organized. Make lists, take notes, use a calendar and as many spreadsheets as you can get your hands on to help you organize your work. Design a system to help you streamline your workflow. This will not only help you become more thorough and detail-oriented, but it will also help you improve your performance and efficiency at work. Having quick access to all the details of a given project plan, schedule, or meeting agenda will increase your knowledge of things happening around your workplace.
2. Plan your day before diving in. Planning your day and generating estimates of the time you will allocate to each of your duties will help you get more out of your time. It will make you more thorough in your coverage of work-related duties and will also allow you to maximize the amount of time you intend to spend on each task.
3. Keep detailed notes for your review. For some people, it can be hard to keep track of every detail of each task in their head. To help you with this, consider carrying around a notepad or using digital note-taking software on an electronic device. Take notes as you go about your day. Keeping detailed records of projects, meetings, and events will help you remember everything. Finally, setting aside some time each day to review your notes will help you keep important details at the forefront of your thoughts.

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