Whether you can’t wait for 2019 to end or you wish you could ride this year’s successes forever, sooner or later (less than four weeks now, actually), you’ll have to face it: 2020 is right around the corner.
To help you get the new year started right—and to help you maintain your momentum—we’ve identified 20 strategies you can pursue and implement in the new year to help you “win” at work all year long. From learning how to work smarter to improving your mental health, this list has you covered.
You’ll find numbers 14 through 20 below. To follow the list all the way to 1, be sure to check your email each week for the latest AMi blog post.
So let’s do it!
Work Smarter
20: Break big, overwhelming goals into smaller, manageable goals. You’ll accomplish more in less time and feel better about the entire process.
19: Look for opportunities for improvement. Career advisor Liz Ryan says, “Every time you feel a twinge of frustration with a process at home or at work, make a note of it. Don't be afraid to change tiny things in your routine, and to stay open to process innovations that come into your awareness from any source at all. That's what they mean when they say "Don't work harder — work smarter!"
18: Learn to take breaks. If a project is stressing you out and you feel like you’re not giving it your best, walk away. Take a break. Clear your head. You’ll return to your problem with a better attitude and renewed energy.
17: Quit multitasking. Despite what you may think, your brain really can’t do more than one task simultaneously. It just switches between tasks quickly. That, Nancy K. Napier, Ph.D., reports in Psychology Today, isn’t as beneficial as we would like to think it is. In fact, she says that trying to work on more than one task at a time actually costs us time, is less efficient, creates more mistakes, and saps our energy.
16: Learn from your mistakes. We all mess up, but in our rush and our frustration, we don’t all take the time to figure out what went wrong. Really studying the situation will not only help you find the solution, but it will also help you avoid going down the wrong path again in the future.
15: Learn from others’ mistakes. Just try not to enjoy it or hold it against them.
14: Complete recurring tasks at the same time every day or week. Doing so, says Digital Marketing Coordinator Barron Rosborough, “empowers you to avoid decision fatigue, develop efficient habits, and complete tasks with speed and precision.”