We are truly creatures of habit, but some of these habits slow us down and follow us from year-to-year like lost children. Find out which ones to drop this year to max out your ’17.
So that’s it. The tinsel’s down, the ham’s all eaten and the NYE fireworks are little more than a retinal burn in your memory. It’s time to roll your sleeves up and get stuck into this crisp new year.
However, as you start the new year, there’s always a risk of keeping old habits that don’t belong to this next set of 365 days. Here are seven ruts to shake your wheels out of and hit the next 12 months running.
Seven bad habits you should drop in 2017
It’s normal to get to the end of each year and feel a bit of burnout. A year’s a long time after all. But there’s nothing worse than getting back to work after the holidays and feeling that same old fatigue as soon as you sit back down at your desk.
These are some of the things to do to keep your fresh start – well – fresh:
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Stop overcommitting
Instead of saying yes to everything, consider other options. Try ‘let me get back to you.’ This will give you some breathing space to think about whether you’ll have the time and/or the energy to do what’s required to the best of your ability.
Also, don’t fear the ‘no’ option. It’s quite empowering to take notice of your limits and just say ‘no’.
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Limit your social media use
Social media – a.k.a. human catnip – is an incredible ‘time suck’. Checking your social accounts during your workday is counterproductive and interrupts your workflow. Turn off those notifications, put your phone in your drawer and focus on the deadlines in front of you.
It’s very easy to get stuck down that rabbit hole!
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There’s no such thing as multitasking
Everybody thinks they can do two or more things at once, but really all you’re doing is splitting your concentration into little bits. If you can do one job to 100 per cent satisfaction, it’s likely two jobs at the same time will only get 50 per cent each.
Stay focused on individual tasks and you’ll achieve more.
Similar to point 1, if you stop saying ‘yes’ to every meeting, you’ll quickly find that most aren’t necessary. Can the issue be solved with one simple email? Does the meeting affect you directly? Is it a meeting just to have a meeting? Think it through and don’t be afraid to ask why or even just say ‘no’ to it.
Instead, focus on how you communicate – here are some excellent tips on increasing your productivity through communication.
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Stop spending time with negative people
It’s amazing how negative people drag you down, leach energy from you and stop you feeling like you can get things done. Shed the load and free up your motivation. You don’t need to be ‘mean’ about it, just spend less and less time with those who tend to drag you down.
Remember: you’re the sum of the five people you spend time with, so choose wisely.
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Stop sitting so much
Sedentary work habits are becoming more and more commonplace. Apart from impacting your health, staying in one place for long stretches of time puts pressure on your concentration levels.
Set reminders or timers to get you up during the workday, take a walk at lunch or get a standing desk.
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Perfectionism doesn’t pay
That humble brag of ‘I’m a bit of a perfectionist’ might have worked in your interview, but in the workplace it’s much more of a weakness than a strength. Spending ages on one job and making it shine when it just needs to get over the line will not make your life any easier.
Remember ‘done is better than perfect’ – unless you’re my brain surgeon. In which case, please, take your time!
We hope your year is as productive as it is rewarding – and remember these two things are by no means mutually exclusive.
Happy New Year from The Copy Collective!