Some well wishers advise us not to make New Year resolutions at all. Their argument is that resolutions imply that issues have to be tackled soon. With that belief, people get excited to make a change without knowing how much time it will take to effect the change. Results don't come in quickly and they give up and get dejected. Instead of forcing yourself to resolve issues quickly, you should spread out the commitments and go about the task at a manageable pace, with bench marks. If you aim at a steady progress instead of overnight achievement, you have a chance to reach the goal.
Resolutions need not necessarily be personal. It becomes meaningful if your resolutions pertain to your career. What you want at home -getting organized, effective use of time, eating healthier food et al - will go well in the workplace too.
Here are some tips to keep career resolutions on the track:
- Begin your day with an important task, especially with one you are not crazy about.
- If you have a task you don’t like, do it for 15 minutes, stop and see how much you have done. At that point, if you have gained some momentum, continue doing it; otherwise stop working on it.
- Some of us boast we can do two, three or more things at once. It is okay, if you are stuffing envelopes while on a telephone call or taking your lunch while reading an e-mail. If one of the tasks is complicated like writing a report, it needs your full attention. Devote some time to it, you will make fewer mistakes.
- If you want to go out for a walk during break or take your lunch out, have a pact with your colleague who has a similar goal.
- A few minutes of planning saves you hours of time. There is no need for an elaborate planning. In the morning jot down what you have to do during the day and in the evening plan for the next day.
