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Every New Year, we’re presented with an opportunity to improve ourselves and become better people in the process. But let’s face it, most people give up on their New Year’s resolutions after a few weeks.
How many people abandon their resolutions exactly? The answer: roughly 80%, according to Business Insider. Hey, if you’ve failed at yours already, at least you know you’re not completely alone.
The problem is, most of us set unrealistic goals – exercising every single day, mastering an activity we’ve never tried before, etc. If you want to fulfill your resolutions, you need something more attainable.
Instead, you should try improving your work life, where a few small tweaks can make a big difference in your efficiency and stress levels. Here are a few aspects of your professional life you should focus on:
1. Stop multitasking so much
Most of us are guilty of this. We often tend to answer the phone, respond to an email, and work on a project simultaneously. While this may give you a quick confidence boost and make you feel like you can handle a ton of projects at the same time, in the end, your work will suffer.
Younger workers are particularly less productive due to constant multitasking. As a matter of fact, researchers from Bryan College estimate that companies across the globe lose more than $450 billion each year because of their multitasking workers.
2. Organize and prioritize
Once you stop working on two, three, or more projects at the same time, you need to create a clear schedule and stick to it. Start by identifying the most important project that day and make sure that you complete it before you move on to the next one.
Also, it would be smart to schedule your breaks, in an effort to get everything done on time. Taking scheduled breaks will actually enhance your work. According to Baylor University research, workers who take precise breaks to take their minds off work a few times during work hours experience greater recovery than those who don’t.
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3. Try to manage your stress levels
Stress can have a positive effect on you – it can motivate you to get a promotion. But if you don’t learn how to control your stress, it can interfere with your life. Once stress accumulates, you’ll start feeling worn-out and consequently, your productivity will suffer. What’s worse, scientists are still trying to figure out all the consequences to our health from all that work-related stress.
You also have to take into consideration that stress at home also impacts your performance. Your home needs to be the place where you can relax and refresh your mind for future tasks. Luckily, companies like Youi NZ offer home insurance that can give you the peace of mind you need to turn your home into a safe, stress-free haven.
4. Recognize your blind spots
By blind spots, we refer to those areas people are unaware of about themselves, which may cause good intentions to be perceived in a negative way. In most cases, these blind spots are the things holding us back and hampering our professional development.
For example, according to Carter Cast, professor of business management at Northwestern University, people who have an inflated sense of skill are 6 times more likely to derail their careers. Therefore, take an honest look at yourself, your strengths and flaws, and be willing to make some much-needed changes.
5. Start listening more and become a leader
Learning how to listen carefully is crucial if you want to maintain a high communication level with your colleagues. If you’re considered a leader in your organization, this is even more crucial, because employees don’t want someone that will only hear them out – they want someone who will really listen to their opinions.
If you want to inspire more people, and improve the performance of the people around you, start being more mindful of other people’s needs and requests. Advanced listening skills will lead to fewer mistakes, higher employee satisfaction, and of course, increased productivity around the office.
Start listening more and become a leader – Photo by Marily Torres on Pexels.com
Small changes go a long way
Even if you’re doing your dream job, you should still try to make a few changes and improve your career. Basically, you should always be on the lookout for new ways to improve what you are doing. At the very least, think about improving your portfolio which could open some new doors.
In the end, it’s important to start small. Change a few things here and there and soon, you’ll start seeing some major improvements. You’ll be surprised how small changes to your daily routine can ripple out to make a huge difference in your professional life.
You may also like: Exposing The Myth of The Young Entrepreneur – 45 Is The Average Age of a Startup Founder That Is Successful
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About the Author
Claire is a personal and professional development expert who believes that a positive attitude is one of the keys to success.
