And right about now, plenty
of people are thinking about resolving to make changes
(presumably for the better) in their lives.
Since I'm doing a lot of introspective
thinking about my career, I thought this year I’d make a list of things I’d
like to change or do differently in 2014 as it relates to my professional life.
Initially, it was a long
list. I whittled it down to items that, for me, will hopefully result in greater
satisfaction or sense of accomplishment.
Some are about getting more
organized. A few have to do with the way technology has altered my life. Others
involve strengthening relationships. And some are simply things I
would like to do better, or more often.
What do you want to change
in 2014? Please feel free add your own 2014 “professional” resolutions.
My
Top 10 Professional Resolutions for 2014
10. Break out of email jail.
It’s time I heeded the advice
of countless time management professionals. I need to get back to using email
as a tool. Practically speaking, this means closing my email client and
only checking it at specific intervals throughout the day. After all, if a matter is that
urgent, I should get a call, not an email.
My success will depend on
reducing self-inflicted email – by lowering the frequency (or turning off) email
notifications and alerts, plus culling newsletter subscriptions down to only
those I read religiously.
9. Drop the phone.
I am a mobile phone addict.
Any free moment I have, I’m checking email and text messages, stocks, weather, and
social media channels – even playing a few Words with Friends games. I know
it’s annoying to those around me and can even be a dangerous distraction.
Most of all, I believe
my idle time could be better used. As idle time. I don’t
know about you, but it seems the minute I let my mind wander, great ideas come to
light.
8. Delete time-sucking apps/games.
If I'm vowing to stop
fiddling with my phone every waking moment, then I probably should delete some
of those non-essential apps/games that are begging me to open them up.
7. Develop a more disciplined approach to consuming content.
I'm suffering from content
over-load. My "articles to read later" file is bursting at the seam
(metaphorically speaking of course, since I'm sure it can hold much more than
I'd ever be able to save/bookmark).
It's time to develop a
system to prioritize the inflow and then systematically catch up on content I'm
definitely interested in reading/viewing.
6. Develop a more disciplined approach to creating content.
If I
wean myself from my inbox and schedule time to read relevant content, it will
free up some serious time for my “real” work. My underlying goal here is to get
in the habit of writing on a more disciplined and scheduled basis.
As an added benefit, if I
can lessen the number of times I am racing to finish a presentation or write a
critically important document, I am sure it will have nothing but a positive
impact on the quality and quantity of my work.
5. Filter out the non-essential.
Wouldn't it be great to
have a pair of glasses that would only allow us to see the things that really
mattered? Not the proverbial rose-colored ones, but more like a pair equipped
with a yellow highlighter?
As already noted, I need to be more discerning
when it comes to how I spend my time. That means skipping meetings where I’m
invited as a nicety rather than necessity, resist raising my hand every the
time there is a call for volunteers, more rapidly recognizing when something is
a lost cause and it’s time to move on, and so on. By cutting out the
extraneous, what’s important will probably shine so bright I’ll be reaching for
sunglasses instead.
4. Find the time to lend a hand.
In what might seem
contradictory to my previous comment about not volunteering at every
opportunity, I do want to help or assist colleagues more often. Not that I
haven’t in the past, but connecting with or providing support to my professional friends sometimes gets
relegated to the bottom of my to-do list.
A meaningful introduction, constructive
suggestion, word of encouragement or sending a hand-written note of appreciation
goes a long way to show people you value that your relationship with them
matters.
3. Teach.
When I was about 10 years
old, I wanted to become a teacher. My parents salvaged some old desks being
thrown out by a local school and I quickly set about creating a classroom in
our basement for my younger siblings and kids from our neighborhood. Convincing
them to “play school” after school or on a Saturday wasn’t always a popular
idea, but it forced me to find ways to make education fun and engaging.
Whenever I’ve been able to be
an instructor, coach or mentor into my life, it has provided me with a great
deal of personal satisfaction – plus the added benefit of giving back to the individual,
community or company at large.
2. Talk less. Listen more.
I have quite a bit of
Italian blood coursing through my veins, and apparently the gift of gab and
gesturing while speaking goes along with that part of my heritage (at least in
my family). While I love telling stories to illustrate a point, I need to keep
it short and concise. And occasionally sit on my hands.
Being a good listener is an
essential part of being a good manager, co-worker, employee, friend, spouse or parent.
Yet there are times I could listen more deeply, stifle the impulse to express
my opinions or recognize that a response is not always required.
1. Learn
something new every day.
“Education is
the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” - Nelson
Mandela
Given the amount of information that swirls around us each and
every day, coming across something I did not already know is not that
difficult. So what I am really after is finding or observing something will
spark my curiosity and imagination. Entice me want to learn more. Ask
questions. Challenge the consensus. Formulate my own opinions.
As my greatest passion is idea generation (and problem-solving), constantly
learning is an occupational must and something I need to keep in front of me every
day.
I would like to wish everyone a happy, and professionally
satisfying, New Year. Cheers!
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