When you're the new girl at work, you do everything in your power to stay on your best behavior. You show up to the office early, leave late, dress conservatively, and absolutely never, ever check your Facebook page from your work computer.

But, as the weeks go by, it's easy to slide into a sense of comfort and let your guard down, following in the footsteps of your co-workers (who know just how far they can bend the rules). And soon, you're missing deadlines, tweeting covertly, making excuses as to why you're not as productive as before, and in general, setting yourself up for a not-so-great performance review.

So what happened? Well, it's simple-you forgot the basics. If you're looking for a way to get back into gear, revisit the advice you got when you were first starting out in the professional world, and follow these easy (but often ignored) bits of advice.

1. Stop Using Excuses

Just like your puppy dog eyes didn't work to convince your 8th grade teacher that your

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In January, the Pentagon lifted a ban on women in combat. Coach, leader, and four-star U.S. Army General Ann Dunwoody says this policy change is a recognition of women's roles on the battlefield today. "When I look back at how far we've come, it's really amazing," says Ann. "I'm very proud of that."

More on Shine: Father-daughter soldiers return home safely from Afghanistan

With her father in the military, Ann grew up in a military-centered family. As a tomboy, Ann participated in as many sports as she could, like gymnastics, tennis, and cheerleading. She went to college hoping to become a physical education teacher, but while in school, she applied for an Army program that offered scholarships in exchange for two years of service. She thought of it as a small detour on her path to becoming a coach and teacher.

Ann was sent to the airborne school. "All I wanted to do was jump out of airplanes," she says. It came as a surprise to Ann when she decided to stay in the Army afte

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If you're obsessed with all things style, why not work for a company that feels the same way? If you're looking for a new job (or just want to do some window shopping), take a peek inside the offices of five fashion and beauty companies that are hiring now.

Giorgio Armani Beauty

Giorgio Armani Beauty creates beautiful cosmetics and fragrances that make luxury accessible to everyone. In its gorgeous (and eco-friendly) Manhattan office space, staffers share space with other L'Oreal luxury brands, including Ralph Lauren and YSL, to get style inspiration (and a little healthy competition!).

See Giorgio Armani Beauty's Office

Sephora

In addition to being an amazing beauty retailer, Sephora is a great place to work. "It's innovative, hip... and you never know what you're going to get!" says one staffer. But a few things are for sure: fabulous co-workers, tons of growth potential, and a monthly "no work talk" brunch.

See Sephora's Office

Gucci

As one of the wo...Read More »

There are some days when you find yourself getting dressed, pouring cereal, helping with homework and fielding a conference call at the same time. The goal is not to bleed everything into one, but we all wind up there sometimes. I asked working moms from around the country to finish this sentence and here is what they had to say:

You know you are a working mom when ___________________."

1. You know you are a working mom when your boss says he has a headache, and you feel his forehead for fever. - Cyndi Campbell, Jackson, MI

2. You know you are a working mom when you pluck a Cheerio off your a$$ during a meeting. - Michelle Hart Klopp, San Francisco, CA

Related: 8 ways to add spark (and sex!) to your marriage after kids

3. You know you are a working mom when you spend your work "breaks" searching the Internet for summer camps or birthday party venues. - Kris Burks, Sacramento, CA

4. You know you are a working mom when you try to write down your contact info at a wor

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Imagine the ideal version of your current role-the same job, but tailored specifically to fit your interests and strengths. You'd keep the responsibilities you love, cut out the duties you dread, and add on a few projects that you've been dying to get your hands on. Sound too good to be true? I admit, creating this ideal job sounds like a pretty lofty goal. In fact, I'd probably scoff at the idea-if I hadn't just done it successfully myself! I started out at my company managing internal, employee-facing communications, but recently expanded my role to include collaborating with the company's PR team. While I enjoyed my initial position, I wanted the opportunity to work with media outlets and constituents outside of the company (which is common in a PR-focused role). Rather than looking for new job, I decided to present the idea of a new position to my boss, and I ended up creating my perfect gig. So, if your current role isn't everything you want it to be, remember that you don't alway

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