2021 is coming to a close, which means it’s time to start thinking about your goals for next year. As a professional, you’re constantly being pulled in multiple different directions. Family, work, and personal tasks can pile up. As soon as one thing is crossed off the list, another needs your attention!
Because of this constant back and forth, it’s important to create daily habits. They can help you refocus your attention, and keep your goals in perspective. Here are three daily habits to adopt before the new year to help you start 2022 off strong.
Collaborate more often.
For go-getters, entrepreneurs, and motivated employees, it can be easy to overload your daily schedule. If you find yourself constantly taking on extra work that isn’t necessarily yours, then collaboration is key. The benefits of working on a team is that you have a whole crew around you who wants to see you succeed! Make it a daily habit to collaborate with your coworkers. Communicate with your coworkers to get input or ideas for your current projects. Ask for help when you need it. Consider reassigning tasks that could be completed more efficiently by another team member.
In most cases, you’ll find that your coworkers are happy to help! In a healthy team culture, one person’s victory meant that the whole team wins! Just make sure that you’re not hampering other people’s productivity, or passing off your core job responsibilities.
Learn when to say “NO”.
While collaboration and teamwork is important, it’s also important to know when to say no. If you’re a “yes-man”, it’s easy to let your own vital duties fall behind. This is equally true for your personal life as well as your professional life. It’s ok to say ‘no’ to events, projects, or anything else so long as your reasons are good. Giving yourself permission to say no will also open up your eyes to the importance of prioritizing! Evaluate your schedule with a critical eye. Then, see if you have any responsibilities that can be moved to the back burner to free you up for more urgent matters.
Use your best judgement here — don’t become the kind of team member or friend who is never willing to help! Whether it’s collaboration or individual work, all things are best in moderation. As long as you have a valid “why” behind your refusal, you should never feel guilty for saying no.
Schedule some time for yourself.
Finally, on the topic of evaluating your schedule, make sure you keep some time for YOU. Again, this is pertinent for both your professional life and your personal life. At work, this can look like dedicating time specifically to reviewing your schedule. You can use this time to:
- Organize your tasks to make sure you’ll meet deadlines
- Ensure you aren’t letting anything slip through the cracks
- Get an idea of how much time you can free up for collaborative efforts
- Learn how to best prioritize your time and your tasks
In your personal life, “me-time” can mean a lot of different things, but the idea behind it is the same. Set aside a slice of time where you can pursue ventures that relax you, empower you, or make you feel accomplished!
