Resolutions at Work
by Marcia Simon, APR
How many New Year resolutions have you broken so far? How about the one about not making resolutions?
Try as we might to avoid this annual self-guilt trip, we all seek improvement. It’s part of the human spirit. If we worked in an environment where nothing ever changed, people wouldn’t stay.
Here are five things you can do to improve your work psyche:
- Declutter –Wrap up each day by getting your desk in order so you can start the next morning with your priority project in front of your nose. Stay organized to remove mental clutter. Set up an effective communication plan for social media and allocate a set amount of time.
- Wear someone else’s shoes. Whether an employee, a client, or your target audience, consider their needs. Understand why solving someone else’s problem can lead to your success. Corporate responsibility is a philosophy. Remember the old saying, “You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.” Be nice.
- Take a risk. It builds confidence, expands opportunities, and takes you away from the status quo. In other words, it helps you create work that is extraordinary. This may be as simple as taking your message to a new audience.
- Escape the office. A morning walk, a half-hour in the gym or a weekend in paradise gives you time to think and gets your juices flowing, and you usually come back with a smile on your face.
- Update technology. You can’t master everything but you CAN gain new insight by spending a little time with analytics, social media, software that helps you work more efficiently, or time-saving mobile apps.
Little tweaks – quarterly, monthly or weekly – keep us tuned in to the people we are here to serve as we further develop our professional skills and a healthy work climate.
Marcia Simon is principal of MSE, a public relations company specializing in healthcare and technology. Connect with Marcia via Facebook, Twitter or send email to marcia@mseusa.com.