New Year, New Goals | Office Resolutions

It’s a New Year and time for a fresh start! A lot of people begin their year by going after unrealistic goals. Whether it’s your work ethic, organization, procrastination, there is always room to improve in your life. Most people spend a lot of time in the office, so changing up habits for the better could be the key to less stress and more drive. This checklist gives ideas for tangible goals to strive for in 2020.

Engagement

Engaging and interacting at work is the difference between working and productively working. Anyone can wake up and go to work, but what good is that if you aren’t striving to expand your knowledge and be the best you can be at your position. A few ways to help you reach this goal and engage more at work are—

• • Participate during meetings
  • Continue to expand your knowledge of the industry you are in
  • Become an expert in your area of work
  • Ask questions to your coworkers, supervisors or other experts in the industry

Organization

Most people don’t function well in chaos. Having an organized working area will likely increase productivity and your ability to focus. Another thing that can keep you motivated is having an organized schedule including things that have to be done by specific days at specific times. Using checklists on your phone or in a notebook can make it more satisfying to complete your tasks as it gives you a feeling of accomplishment that you can see. Some ways to be more organized in 2020 are—

• • Plan your week ahead
    • Sit down on Monday and map out everything you have to do for the week and what day to do it
  • Utilize a calendar
  • Checklists/To-do lists
    • Digital or written
    • Write down all tasks, no matter how big or small
  • Maintain an orderly desk
  • Use sticky notes for reminders
  • Download an app on your phone for organization

Nutritional Habits

With work, comes stress and with stress, comes the urge to eat. A lot of people find comfort in the foods they choose to eat, but they don’t think about the consequences of the food being put into their bodies. Maybe you haven’t been making the best decisions about the foods you are choosing to fuel your body. Some goals to consider are—

• • Wake up early enough to pack your lunch
  • Choose healthy snacks
    • Fruits and vegetables
    • Popcorn
    • Nuts
  • AVOID the vending machine
  • Drink lots of water
    • Use flavor packets to mix things up so you don’t get bored
  • Use a free app like MyFitnessPal or LoseIt to track the nutritional value of the food you’re eating

Stay Active

Sitting at a desk all day isn’t the ideal way to maintain a healthy lifestyle. It can be tempting to sit there all day and use this as an excuse to not complete any physical activity, but you aren’t doing yourself any favors. The New Year brings opportunities for a changed mindset. A few goals to think about doing are—

• • Walk over to the person’s desk you need to talk to instead of emailing or calling
  • Take the stairs if your building is more than one story
  • Walk on your lunch break
    • Around the building, outside, or on exercise equipment if your office provides it
  • If you feel yourself losing momentum during the day, stand up and walk around for a minute
    • Refill your water, get a cup of coffee/tea, go to the restroom, or to see a coworker
  • Use an app to track your steps
    • Make it a competition with your coworkers to encourage you