We are so close to ringing in the New Year, I can hear the bells from my office window. In the spirit of the new year- it is time to establish new goals for the work that you’re doing. Instead of creating a comprehensive list of goals that might be a far-reach for me (Sorry, monthly meal planning- I will never stick to you) I thought it would be valuable to sit down and assess my work habits and determine what I can afford to change in the coming New Year- and invite you to do the same critical thinking about your productivity.

1)      Use time wisely.

Mid-afternoon slumps seem unavoidable. After long meetings and heavy lunches it can be difficult to make the best use of time that you feel burnt out for. Take the time to organize strategies to avoid these slow times. It could mean doing lunch-time yoga in lieu of heavy pasta or scheduling your calendar so that you have at least 30 minutes between meetings in order to avoid the tendency to crawl under your desk and hide from any outlook webinar invite.

 

2)      Approach things Strategically

I want to work smarter- not harder. If I know a colleague has long-ago completed 4 of 7 steps of a project that I have been newly assigned, I want to connect with that colleague before spending my time on redundant work. Take the time to understand the dynamics of the office, the skills that your co-workers have, and learn to develop teams based on other people’s strengths. It is absolutely okay to ask for help- and

 

3)      Utilize tools

This means really knowing the software, machines, resources and people that are available to you. I recently learned of a co-worker utilizing a simple excel command that ended up saving his team 8+ hours on a reoccurring project. Nobody had ever thought to approach the situation differently – so they didn’t create a situation in which they could learn what tools were available to them. If you approach a situation that seems needlessly complex- google some solutions or ask around. By searching different outlook tools I have managed to save myself hundreds of meeting acceptances that can be so abundant that they overload my inbox.

 

4)      Create/Find a New Job

If you’re not feeling challenged in your current position- bring it to your supervisor- ask what additional responsibilities you can take on. Any worthwhile position will have you in a position that you’re consistently learning. If you’re not developing your skill-set- you probably aren’t in a fulfilling position. Be proactive and find ways to address this before you feel dissatisfied with your work. If you’ve outgrown your job, your company can’t accommodate your growing skillset- move on. There are a million excuses that you’re able to make to stay in a position that is no longer right for you- be proactive enough to change your situation this coming year.