At the start of any new year resolutions become a hot topic which on reflection, most of us don’t ever stick to. A whopping 92% of New Year resolutions aren’t stuck to[1] which got us thinking about other ways to get the year off to the best start possible.
We all know what a challenging year 2020 was and although things aren’t back to normal just yet, a new year is the perfect opportunity to kick things off with a new sense of purpose and motivation.
For us at Human Resourcing, 2021 marks our 20th year of trading which is a huge motivation in itself to ensure that this year is one to remember.
We’ve put together some tips to help boost your productivity levels this year.
Set Goals
Setting goals for the short, medium, and long term is great starting point for multiple reasons. Firstly, the process of goal setting allows you to reflect on what you really want. It helps you find your purpose, the reason why you’re doing the things you do and that is what you need to draw upon whenever you lack motivation. Secondly it gives you a clear focus, writing down your goals and the steps you need to take in order to achieve them means you have a rough plan of what success looks like. Both your purpose and this plan are the foundations for your productivity in the coming months.
Start with a Bang
Once you’ve established what it is you want to achieve it can be so easy to delay starting things which in turn, can lower your motivation levels. Instead think about what you can do early on to start making progress whether that’s updating your CV if your goal is to get a new job, asking for additional responsibilities if you’re looking for a promotion or perhaps running 1Km if your goal is to run 5km by the end of the month. Taking action early on will help build momentum, in turn you’ll start seeing results and you’ll be making progress in no time at all.
Prioritise Wellbeing
So much about the way we live our lives changed in 2020 and emphasis on health and wellbeing was pushed to the forefront of the agenda in many workplaces. Prioritising wellbeing helps keep you productive and motivated. The opposite only leads to burnout, long term absence and a complete loss of engagement. So, make time for exercise everyday even if it’s just a walk, find and stick to a routine that works for you and make sure you’re getting enough sleep. All of these factors combined will help you keep focused and on top of your to-do list. There is absolutely no doubt of the importance of wellbeing and mental health so making time to improve them is invaluable.
Reflect and Adjust
No matter how good our intentions are, life happens and it’s impossible to hit our goals all the time or to be productive 100% of the time. There’s nothing wrong with that, what’s important is what we take from these experiences. Instead of being self-critical when things don’t go to plan, take some time out to reflect on why. You might not have ticked off your to-do list on a Friday afternoon because you were balancing home schooling, you might not have won a contract bid because the competition did a better job, what ever the scenario, there is always something to learn so when the dust settles spend a moment reflecting on what you might do differently next time. This will not only help you feel more in control of the situation, but it will also motivate you to improve.
Try Something New
Learning or trying out something new has huge benefits on our motivation levels and what better time to do something new than the start of a new year. It’s so easy to get stuck in a routine and ultimately, stuck in our comfort zones but as the famous saying goes, ‘nothing great ever comes from our comfort zones.’ Setting yourself the intention of trying something new whether it’s a new hobby or a bigger personal challenge will give you a revived sense of energy. It also helps stimulate creativity and new ideas, and you might find something you genuinely love. Try setting yourself a challenge to try something new each month to keep that excitement building.
The new year gives us a whole 12 months to make those changes we want so once you’ve identified your goals and your purpose, what are you waiting for? Go for it!
If you’re looking to start 2021 with a new HR role, we have lots of fantastic opportunities so visit our website.
[1] https://raywilliams.ca/why-we-dont-keep-our-new-years-resolutions-and-what-to-do-about-it/#:~:text=The%20University%20of%20Scranton’s%20research,means%2092%25%20of%20resolutions%20fail.