Many of us sit down at the beginning of the year and draw up
a list of New Year's Resolutions. These
are personal resolutions and more often than not we fail at keeping them. Interestingly enough the most common excuse
for our new year's resolutions failing is that we didn't have the time. We were too busy with work and
responsibilities. Let's face it we spend
most of our waking hours at work so it is no wonder that it seems to get in the
way of us being successful at our personal resolutions.
What if we changed the way we look at our resolutions and
found ways to incorporate these into our work day? Imagine that you are no longer trying to find
time but that the time you are engaged in work activities is actually
supporting your resolutions. Here are
some of the most popular resolutions and a few innovative ways to keep them.
Reduce Stress: One of the major causes for stress in the
workplace are the relationships we have with management and our
colleagues. Be willing to listen to
another point of view and actively engage in communication, don't just listen
to reply. If you are unfortunate and you
work for a company that has poor management and you are unclear of what is
expected from you, call a meeting with HR or with the appropriate person within
your company and get it resolved.
Nothing creates more stress than continuously feeling like you don't
know what you are doing or supposed to be doing. Being open to new ideas and change reduces
stress. Be Teachable! Don't take things personally
check your ego at the door.
Time Management: Why do we fail at time management? Because everything we know about it is geared
towards managing "clock time" and what we should really be managing
is "real time". Real time
happens in our heads we create it and anything we create can be managed. The first thing we have to know is how
effective are we at using our time. Jot
down every thought, conversation, task or action you take for one week. At the end of that week look for the places
where you are wasting time on unproductive things that don't produce results . Now you have the information to Organize,
Prioritize and Schedule. Make sure that
50% of your scheduled time is spent on activities that generate results and
schedule time for interruptions. Block
out distractions, not every e-mail needs to be responded to immediately. Remember that it is impossible to get
everything done in a day and be okay with that, tomorrow is another day and
that is why you are prioritizing. The
good news is that 20% of your actions will generate 80% of your results so if
you are concentrating on the things that matter, you are way ahead of the game!
Pay Off Debt: In
today's economy more people are trying to reduce their debt load as there seems
to be uncertainty everywhere. Improving
your position at work could lead to an increase or a promotion which in turn
can help with getting rid of your debt sooner.
How do you improve your position?
Engage actively in meetings and show your enthusiasm for your work. Make sure you know what the company goals are
and work towards those. Avoid negative
individuals and be open to new ideas and change. Better still bring your own ideas to the
table. Make yourself indispensable. Most of all enjoy what you are doing, it
shows in your efforts and rubs off on others.
Learn something new: This
could tie in nicely with the point above.
If you are thinking of learning a new language, how about learning a
language that can help you in the business world. Chinese is a good option but if your company
has a German or Japanese holding company consider that language. Perhaps one day when there are visiting
officers from head office you can be an interpreter. Take a course that can improve your skill set
or join an association that supports your career. Don't want to do anything work related,
that's okay too. Any personal
development will allow you to bring a new perspective to the workplace.
Balance Home And
Work: With more of us working from home we often don't know where to draw
the line. The biggest problem of our
time is the Glorification of Busy! Somewhere along the line we have become
convinced that if we can't say "Oh I am sooo busy!" we are not
pulling our weight and we give the impression that we are not committed to our
jobs. Turn that around, work smarter not
harder. Don't over-commit learn to say
No! Turn off the computer, get plenty of
rest and play with your children, spend time with your spouse. Do something that makes you happy. Meditate, do cross-word puzzles or quietly
sit in thought for a some time every day.
It is proven that time spent in silence strengthens your ability to
problem solve. Once you let go of the
idea that busy is better and allow yourself to be present in the moment,
whether at work or home, balance will find you!
Good luck with your resolutions and remember to be
present... stop worrying or projecting - things hardly ever look they way you expect them to.
Plan and take action!
Love & Light
