2018 has finally come to an end–something I’m pretty sure every talent industry pro can celebrate. Last year was…interesting.
We’ve seen brands and people in powerful positions crumble, we witnessed the progression of the #MeToo movement, we elected more women into Congress than ever before, we watched Serena Williams kick @ss on the court in an all-black outfit, Lindsay Lohan’s Mykonos dance moves, Barbra Streisand cloned her dead dog, Melania’s heated jacket debate, heck someone even bit Beyoncé–and that’s just the highlights.
With all of these happenings outside of the workplace, it was easy for our teams to lose focus about what’s going down inside the cubicle walls. Turbulent times, confusing tweets, and so much more have taken all of our attention from what really matters in our actual lives. So, when the clock struck 11:59 pm on December 31, I hope we all already had a plan in place to make this next year more prolific than our collectively chaotic recent past.
Sure, most people make New Year’s resolutions to get them motivated. But, do they always follow through? I don’t know, you tell me: did you go to the gym every morning at 5 am last year?
So, instead of attempting to implement a list of obfuscating resolutions for you and your team, how about just one:
Be more productive with your time at work.
Here’s how:
- Make a morning routine– It doesn’t matter what it is, just make one. It could be waking up and working out, or walking your dog, or just watching the news and drinking coffee, or maybe even putting a cooling eye mask on and just chilling until it’s time to go. Whatever it may be, just do it. Routines help us by getting us through our daily tasks so we can free up time for other things.
- Organize your desk–Maybe you’re not the most organized and you don’t care how your desk looks because it’s constantly crowded with work, but, much like your brain, overcrowding can impact your everyday life. So clear off your desk, get some sticky notes, coordinate your things, make different piles for different tasks from your reports. It sounds simple, but it will make a huge difference and provide a clear head (and desk!) space to knock out the rest of your goals.
- Take a break–Go outside, take a walk, go to lunch; just walk away from your desk and take your mind of off, well, everything. Staring at a screen all day is bad for your eyes–and mental health–anyways. But don’t just take a break, take a meaningful break with purpose and intent so you can come back 15 minutes later ready to take on the rest of the workday.
- Collaborate with your teammates–Collaboration is key. It’s a great way to get questions answered, or to even find answers you didn’t know you needed. It’s also a great way to get to know your teammates better and find out what their strengths and weaknesses are and really see where you can come together to get ish done. Literally, no one comes up with great ideas on their own, not even leaders; it takes a village.
- Prioritize your day–Some people say making lists isn’t helpful because it can just crowd your mind more. I call BS. I say make a list and get the stuff done. One of the best feelings is physically crossing something off your list, pen to paper, scratching a line through a task, and feeling the satisfaction of knowing it’s done.
Whether you pick and choose which of these tips you want to follow, or you do all of them, one thing is certain: 2019 will definitely be better, more productive, and more inclusive than 2018.
Don’t get bogged down for another 365-ish days; prioritize your time, be more productive, and show everyone at work that 2019 is your year to shine.
Now, can I get a collective “Thank you, next” to 2018?