Problem: Article: A great way to begin building accountability at work is seeking feedback from the people you work with. Depending on what your job entails, specifically regarding your position in a hierarchy, you can seek feedback from those above you, those on your level, and those under you. Your job may already have specific performance standards in place which are reviewed periodically by supervisors, but you can show your boss that accountability is important to you by actively seeking extra feedback about your performance. You might seek feedback regarding a specific project or assignment you recently finished, or you might want get a general idea for how you are doing. It's also good to seek feedback from the people you work with day to day, even when they have no power or authority over you. You need to know whether the people you work with can count on you or not. Be sure to ask questions that are specific to get the feedback you desire. For example, you might say something like, "I worked really hard on that presentation, but I'd love some feedback on where I could improve. Do you have any input?" As a manager, or any upper level position, you don't want to make all the decisions on your own and never ask how people feel you are leading. Approach subordinates in the right way so you don't seem like you lack authority. Just be genuine and tell those below you that you want to know how they think you are doing at your job. Try creating an anonymous survey that you can distribute to your employees. This may provide you with more honest feedback because they will be less likely to worry about the comments they make backfiring on them. Asking your boss, peers, and subordinates for feedback on your performance is useless if you don't take the feedback into consideration and find ways to implement it. Maybe you can't do exactly what the critique entails, but you can use it as a springboard for making changes. Make sure that you do not take the feedback personally. Look at it as an opportunity to improve. You may spend a lot of time working with a team, and the results are the culmination of everyone's effort. In some settings, it may be possible to hide or be a little dishonest about the work you accomplished. Being accountable means fully owning up to whatever comes of your work. This is hardest when you have made a mistake or have not quite made the best of an opportunity you have been given. It may feel natural to shift the blame or make excuses that focus on outside forces, but being upfront and honest about your work is an important aspect of accountability. Owning up to shortcomings will show the people you work with and for that you are not trying to hide anything. When you do mess up, and you have to be honest with someone about the mistake, it is always good to have an idea or plan for how to remedy the situation. Being honest and owning the mistake is the first step, but there is most likely still something that needs to happen. Having a solution to the problem ready when you admit the mistake will help ease the tension and show that you are not giving up. If you work in an office and you usually have your door open, try shutting it for a couple days. An open door invites people to stop and talk, even if it isn't about work. Closing the door more often will give you the privacy to focus more on work and less on interacting with people. Be sure to avoid digital distractions during this time as well. Log out of your social media accounts and shut off your phone. . In a given day of work, you might have five or more things that need to get done. However, not all of the tasks have the same level of priority. Get in the practice of working on the most important things first and putting off the things that can wait. For less important tasks, force yourself to limit how long you spend on them. Don't spend a whole hour clearing out spam email if someone is waiting for an email response from you. Knock out an important task that you know will take a while, and then balance it with a short, lower priority task. Alternating in this way can boost your efficiency. At the end of the day, or periodically throughout the day, write down what you do and how long you spend doing it. You may be surprised where your time actually goes. It's probably best not to show your boss this log, but it will help you see what is draining your time and you can work on reducing those time-wasters.
Summary: Seek feedback from your boss. Ask your peers how you are doing. Ask your subordinates how you can improve. Implement the feedback you receive. Be honest about the results of your work. Make time for solo work. Prioritize your tasks Set specific time limits. Keep a time log of how you spend each day for a week.

In one sentence, describe what the following article is about: If you are going to be your own property manager, look for a property that is within walking distance or a short drive from where you live now. This will make it easier for you to get to and from the property, especially if you have to deal with your tenants. You should also plan to visit your tenants on occasion to check in on them. Living close will make this easier. Looking for a property close to where you live now will also make it easier for you to assess the neighborhood and amenities, as you will know about them by living in the area. Amenities like a good school, a grocery store, a shopping mall, restaurants, movie theaters, and gyms are all a plus when looking for a rental property. Potential tenants may be more interested in living in an area that has a lot of amenities close by. It also makes the area more vibrant and welcoming, with a variety of services and entertainment to offer tenants. Try to look at properties that have at least 2-3 amenities within walking distance or a short drive away. Property taxes can be a major expense when owning a rental property, especially when you are already paying taxes on your current property. Research areas where taxes for rental properties are low or capped so they do not become too high for you to manage. Keep in mind you will have to offset the cost high property taxes by raising the rent for the property. This may turn potential tenants away, especially if the rent continues to go up so you can afford rising property tax. Search online for areas that are known to have a high crime rate and avoid them. Go for areas where crime is low and the neighborhood is considered safe to live in. You should also be wary of areas with a lot of vacancies or a high property turn over, as this can signal the area is not doing well or it is not a great place to live. In some areas, high vacancy rates can be seasonal, especially if the area is populated by a lot of university students. You should still avoid these areas, as a low vacancy rate will ensure the same people live in the area year round and the neighborhood is stable. Do a search of rental properties already in the area to determine how much rent costs. The average rent should be enough to cover your mortgage payment, taxes, and maintenance expenses. If not, keep looking until you find an area where the rent is enough to cover your expenses. You should also look at how the area is developing and whether there is a large gap in average rent costs. This may mean property taxes are going up and you may not be able to afford the rental property later on. This will help you get a sense of the neighborhood and the quality of life in the area. Knock on doors and introduce yourself as a prospective buyer of a property in the neighborhood. Ask renters and homeowners if they like living in the area and feel comfortable. Find out if they feel there are enough amenities in the area and if rent prices are reasonable. You can also ask homeowners about property taxes and whether they think their home was a good long-term investment.
Summary:
Get a property close to where you live if you are going to manage it. Look for a property near amenities like a shopping area or a grocery store. Avoid properties in areas with high property taxes. Stay away from high crime or high vacancy areas. Research the average rent in the area. Talk to other renters or homeowners in the area.