Pay off debt. Vow to workout 5 days a week. Sound familiar? Often our resolutions encompass a broad lifestyle change that can cause us to crash and burn a few months down the line. This year, choose to focus on a specific aspect of your life: work. This is the place where hours upon hours are spent every week so there is bound to be room for improvement. Work happiness and accomplishment can impact your life out of the office, too. Try these workplace resolutions that you can be proud to say you fulfilled at the end of the year.
[wpspoiler name=”Goodbye Gossip Queen” style=”wpui-green”]The receptionist got fired and people come running to you for the scoop? This is not a compliment. Engaging in office gossip is a quick way to land in the HR hot seat later. Make a promise to ditch the drama by saying “I’m busy” or “I don’t know” until people get the hint that you are the know-it-all with spreadsheets and not with the latest on your co-workers office break-up. [/wpspoiler]
[wpspoiler name=”More Face Time, Less Facebook” style=”wpui-green”]Spending time on Facebook is a major productivity killer in the workplace. Make an effort to stay on task and keep your social media addiction to a minimum. Use your breaks or lunch hour to catch up on the latest posts. Doesn’t leaving at 5:00 p.m. sound nice? Less time on Facebook means more time working and a chance to clock out earlier. Try it.[/wpspoiler]
[wpspoiler name=”Stop Using Yourself as the Punching Bag” style=”wpui-green”]Mistakes happen, great ideas fail. Don’t let these mishaps slow down your success. Beating yourself up will do nothing but hinder your outcomes. Admit to failure, take a deep breath and move on.[/wpspoiler]
[wpspoiler name=”Get out of the Daily Grind” style=”wpui-green”]Completing your daily tasks is a given, but going above and beyond in your office can get you a major pat on the back. Ask your co-workers how you can help, discuss opportunities for growth with your boss or take the time to learn something new about the department that is a cube wall away. This is a great way to shine and can add a new skill to your resume that can catapult your career forward.[/wpspoiler]
[wpspoiler name=”Say Cha-Ching” style=”wpui-green”]Talking about your salary with your employer can be a touchy subject—especially in this economy—but if you feel you work hard and have contributed to the success of your team it’s time you earn some green extra credit. When you address your boss skip the “I’m awesome so I deserve it” line and be prepared to speak highly about your skills and experience with a concise number of what you would like to be earning due to the market rate of your role. Your boss is too intimidating? Practice in the mirror. This is the year you will speak up![/wpspoiler]
What is your workplace resolution? Share your success stories!
Photo courtesy of Daniel Dale via Flickr (CC BY_ND 3.0)
