Appearance is crucial

This is probably the hardest truth to accept. If you have the reputation of being an office clown, you will not be taken seriously, no matter how hard you work. If your colleagues are under the impression that you always reject everything and go home at five o'clock sharp, new opportunities will stop being offered to you. Fake busyness looks just like a real one. That doesn't mean you have to care about what people think about you all the time. Just keep in mind that your appearance affects the way you are treated and your career. Try to remind yourself of your competence and be professional.