5 Tips to Make 2015 Your Best Work Year Yet

Here we are in 2015.

      A new year, a fresh perspective and renewed hope for all things improved, right? You’ve no doubt seen a lot of “new year, new me” posts across social media with lists of resolutions to go with them. It might be tempting to compare those resolutions to last month’s sugar plums dancing in our heads, but there’s no need for things you want to improve to be mere visions in your head, specifically in the workplace.

     Here are 5 ideas to help you kick-off your 2015 in the workplace with more than just a fresh perspective and renewed hope:

 1.     Connect across generations. Workplaces in 2015 are diverse in many aspects, including age. Different generations bring different lessons and perspectives to the workplace table, all of which are valuable and deserve to be heard. While it may be easy to stick close to the lessons and perspectives of your generation, reach out to your colleagues of other generations to bridge any gaps. You’ll need each other as your office moves forward this year.

2.     Learn how to say no. Warning: this may not be easy. We want to accommodate others. We want to offer our help. We want to be polite. We want to please our managers. But learning to say no can help you focus on your own goals and be more productive. You might offer the solicitor a reference to someone else who can help along with your honest explanation as to why you won’t be able to offer your assistance; someone else in your office may be looking for the exact opportunity to help that you need to turn down.

3.     Know when and how to relax and recharge. Again, this may not be easy. In the world of multi-tasking, meetings, conference calls and working lunches, taking a break may seem impossible. Make it possible. Get up from your desk, walk around, make use of your office’s exercise equipment (or napping pods if you’re that lucky), chat with an office friend about anything other than the office, go outside and feed the squirrels or enjoy a visualization activity. These activities are not taking away from your work; they are improving your mental capacity and helping you be more productive.

4.     Have stand-up meetings. You’ve undoubtedly heard of stand-up desks. Super cool idea, right? Well, take that idea and run with it to establish stand-up meetings in your office. This may not work for every type of meeting that your office needs, but it will certainly cut down on time away from major projects as well as your personal goals at work. The idea has the stamp of approval from former Gates Foundation executive Sylvia Mathews Burwell; she’s quoted as saying, “If we all have to sit down, it’s taking too long.”

5.     Be passionate. Do you have a vision for your work? For your goals? For your team? Your passion for that vision should be present in everything you do. Sure, we all have rough days, but when we care about what we do and the manner in which we do it, we transform our visions into realities. If you’re an employee, transform your vision by going beyond what’s expected with every project you accept. If you’re a manager, transform your vision by collaborating with your employees and by showing them how their contributions fit into your larger focus. 

      By: Susan Gail Taylor, Marketing Coordinator and Copywriter at RME360