I’m just going to throw these out. They are based on my world view and values, so if you don’t want my advice, don’t read this. They are how to be a better person in the more practical areas of life.

Respect:

When it comes to work, my dad, who owns his own business, says, “Never be late” be the person who respects their employer’s time enough to be there when you agreed to be.

Do not ever badmouth your boss around other employees. Do not listen when/if they’re doing it. Do not disagree with your boss in front of customers, and in front of as few people as possible. Do not say anything of your boss that you would not say to his face (and this goes for, if your boss is one of your parents, and if you’re a volunteer and not paid.) Of course there are some exceptions to these rules, but they are few and I trust you can figure them out yourselves.

Do not ever support anything illegal. I don’t care where you are and who is doing it. Respect the law.

Messy blessings:

Be the one to pick up trash without being asked.

Do extra things at work without being told, don’t tell anyone you did it unless they ask.

At a park, pick up trash before anyone even says to, pick up other people’s trash.

Clean the counter at work before you’re told. (Now, if someone else is already paid to do any of this, don’t take away from their pay by doing it for them, but if it’s for any given employee go ahead. This is about thinking of others before yourself.)

Take out the trash before your mom reminds you. Mop, clean toilets, wash dishes, clean a room in the house, all before your mom has time to get to it or before she has to remind you. Make your siblings beds for them, help them with their chores.

Knowledge to be shared:

New guy at your work? Show him the ropes. Don’t play jokes on him (or her,) offer to help. If they do something wrong, help them make it right. (I do not refer to not telling your boss if they do something against policy or unethical.)

Help you siblings with their schoolwork. Or let them help you, sometimes they’ll learn better that way.

Time.

Don’t procrastinate. Time is your most valuable asset. Give enough time for every task, but give yourself time to rest. For the Christian this is completely biblical. There are allotted rest days, allotted work days, and allotted celebration days. God made time and we can do what he says with it (and He says to rest as well as work.)

Don’t take on too much, too fast. I multitask I’ll admit, I don’t do it very well. I can do one thing with my ears and another with my eyes and hands; but I can’t do two things with my eyes, and hands, and another with my ears, further more I find it stressful to. Your abilities may be more expansive than mine, but know your limits. if something is hard for you, don’t rush it. “To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven.” Ecclesiastes 3:15. It’s okay to separate things by the day.

Don’t be too busy. If every day of your week and month is full, you have a problem.

I love this next one. I honestly believe God gave me a revelation through this passage in Psalms. It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows; for so He gives His beloved sleep.” Ps 127:2 Did you know that was in the Bible? Or Christianity? I want to commit this verse to memory. This verse just tells me, I do not need to stay up late working on something, nor get up way too early to do something. To my fellow millennials out there just turn off your phone at night. Tell your friends you now have a cell-curfew. I’m sure it might be difficult to sleep at first, but your body will adjust and you’ll feel so much better. I’m serious, all my friends are always tired, mostly because of late nights. I’m tired a lot, because I need this tip too.

Don’t go to bed upset. This one is hard, but I take the “bread of sorrows” to mean that. I don’t sleep well if I’m upset, do something to feel better.

He who is faithful (constant, trustworthy) in little will be faithful in much, he who is dishonest in little will be dishonest in much (Personal paraphrase.)