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"It's just a job," I'd tell myself. But it represented a commitment I'd made, agreeing to take on the needs of my employer and to be responsible for them. And deep down inside, I also knew my performance was important to me, and that I did care about the way I treated people who relied on me. I realized that it wasn't just about the job; work was also a chance to watch myself standing up to those random challenges that life hits you with every day.

So every day ask yourself: are you earning respect, from your employer and from yourself? Here's my own personal list of the classic warning signs for flaky employees - and how to tell if you're one of them!

1. Too much email, and not enough work. It starts with just checking for new messages. Then some email requires an instant reply. And some emails are just too irresistible to avoid reading. Maybe you need that friendly contact to balance the stress from your annoying co-workers. It's easy to eventually cross the line into "too much" email. I used to remind myself that my employer could remotely spy on my computer screen - but it's simpler than that. Every second I knew a manager or co-worker could surprise me in my cubicle. Did I really want them to start worrying that I would always be checking my personal email?

2. Stop surfing the web! Most businesses connect their computers to the internet - and it's often a tempting high-speed connection! It serves legitimate business purposes - like confirming flight schedules, researching competitors, and even looking up words at dictionary.com. But there's billions of other web sites that aren't work related - and unfortunately, they're also a lot of fun. It's easy to fall into the same slippery logic. First it's "a fun break," but soon it's a regular habit. I found it's hard to enjoy surfing the web at work, and it started to make me feel bad about the real work I was neglecting.

3. Sleepless nights. If you stay up late on a week night, you'll be tired at work. Yes, you can plow through it, but it can also affect your performance. Setting a regular sleep schedule is one of the best things you can do to avoid becoming a flaky employee. (Even if you can still get your work done on fewer hours of sleep - you'll be a lot happier and healthier if you've gotten the full eight hours.)

4. Shying from questions. At my first job, I wanted to appear useful and knowledgeable, so I was afraid to ask too many questions. Eventually I realized that I couldn't be knowledgeable (or useful) UNTIL I'd asked questions! After all, the employer is counting on you to execute your duties, and you won't be able to if you're confused about what they want. But even beyond simple instructions, it gives you a sense of what your workplace needs. So this gives you a better context for making good decisions in the future.

5. "I forgot!" Those are probably the two words an employer hates most. It's easy to do, but it's so damaging for you, and for your employer. I like to joke that I was blessed with a bad memory - since knowing I have a bad memory makes me write everything down! Ultimately keeping a to-do list (and reviewing it occasionally) means you'll never forget anything.

And that's probably the one thing that employer's value most!

Learn more about this author, Moe Zilla.
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