As 2014 comes to a close, many of us make New Year’s resolutions to start this next chapter on a good note, setting goals and objectives to help us be our very best selves. Exercise, healthy eating, saving more money, and other resolutions are common in our personal lives, but what about resolutions for your job? How can you be your very best self in the workplace?
When setting personal resolutions for yourself, consider applying one (or more) of these resolutions towards your professional goals for 2015:
- Stagnation – It happens to be best of us. There are times when we get bored, but when it extends to a pattern of being content to be bored, that is an issue. If you are uninspired and unmotivated to perform, make it a point to challenge yourself to try new things, learn new tasks, and do what you can to keep busy and out of the slump that results in a lack of productivity.
- Gossiping and Complaining – Enough is enough. Whining about small and insignificant things, engaging in office drama, and participating in talking behind someone’s back is not only unprofessional, but incredibly unproductive. Make it a resolution to not partake in office gossip and be the bigger person, simply walk away from toxic conversations whether that be gossiping about a fellow coworker or complaining about simple policy changes. Keep the negativity at bay.
- Criticizing Others – The same concept that applies to office gossip applies to criticizing others. As a manager, constructive criticism is sometimes necessary, but make it a point to keep unnecessary criticism to a minimum. If you are not a supervisor, it really isn’t your place to criticize the work of others. Having constructive conversations with colleagues is one thing; picking on and pointing out mistakes just for the sake of making yourself feel better is a bad workplace habit that we should all strive to break or avoid.
- Time Wasting via Social Media – It is a habit that is far too easy to fall into. Mindlessly scrolling down social media news feeds when there is a lull in the work day. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc, all of these social media sites suck time and money. A top pet peeve of many employers, make it a point to limit social media usage (whether that be on your phone or on a computer) to breaks and lunch periods, and try to make it a point to curb social media addictions in general.
Take advantage of this fresh start to the new year and say goodbye to bad habits that may be hindering your chances at success and happiness in the workplace. Good workplace habits ensure productivity and can improve your professional image and reputation. Remember, you can develop good workplace routines at any time, not just at the start of new year, a new week, or a new month. Always strive to do better, and be better.
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