In our childhood we were warned against daydreaming. It is proved that dreamers bring about a lasting change. When our work pace slows down, you can afford to have the pleasure of daydreaming. Become that dreamer and bring about a pleasant change in your life and profession. Use the downtime reflecting, planning and positioning yourself to march that extra mile.
Reflect on your routine and what took up your time. Isn't production, bottlenecks and redundancies, objectives and growth? We accept the status quo that saves us from questioning our assumptions and their relevance. Use the downtime to challenge this routine and try to reframe the schedules and rule of functioning.
Big picture
It is the time to focus on the big picture. Reflect on how the emerging social and management trends and their undercurrents could help your organization become more effective, efficient and competitive.
This is an opportunity for you to leave a mark and make a name. Take advantage of the downtime.
Make a serious effort to grow professionally. Enroll yourself in training programs both live and online. Identify books and magazines that can help strengthen your perspective, creativity and motivation. Use all tools for career development such as seminars and courses to update your knowledge and skill set.
Set your goal and see whether you have needed education and skills. Indentify your weaknesses and take every step to turn them into your advantage. The best way is to cultivate a mentor. Productivity and activity are two different things. Put a plan in place to make you more active.
Team building
Working with your colleagues for hours together doesn't mean you know, trust or respect each other. You must use this time for team building activities and bolstering relationships and informal network that can be of help to you.
Everybody has a pet project and you may be having one. Pull it out and work on it. Develop a step-by-step plan with all the benchmarks and deadlines. Complete it. By the by, don't forget to tell your boss how your effort increased the revenue, efficiency or customer satisfaction.
It is also necessary for you to market yourself in your company. Plan a presentation to brighten your profile. See the possibilities to collaborate with other departments to help you network. Identify knowledge and skills gaps in your company and fill them. The effort will ensure you job security.
You must have drained out because of hectic schedules and compelling deadlines. Take advantage of the downtime and relax.
