It’s time to rethink the New Year.

Most of us will spend this month charging ahead toward new professional or personal goals we’ve set and, as the statistics are quick to reveal, we’ll come limping back to the starting line by February. What’s left is unfulfilled visions of greatness and an overriding sense of frustration.

We’ve talked with professionals across the country to get opinions on how you can leverage the new year for professional success. These aren’t so much resolutions as they are ways to win this year with a change of mind and a change of habits.

No. 1: Reflect on 2018

Yesterday is a great inspiration for today, even if our past is a mix of successes and failures. As such, says certified HR pro and career coach Lisa Barrington, you need to begin the year by looking back at the previous 365 days.

“Take time to reflect on what you’ve accomplished this past year, and if you haven’t been doing so all along, write a list,” she said. “It can be tangible accomplishments (like a project or deliverable) or behavioral (like improving upon relationships). Write down everything.”

Once you’ve got your list, set it aside and come back to in a week. Take a moment to think about those things you accomplished that you didn’t set out to do before the year started. These are big wins you should be proud of.

Next, write down a list of things you didn’t accomplish the previous year.

“Decide what is important to bring forward into this year,” she said. “Start your new list.”

This cycle of reflection and redemption of goals unmet will help you start the year with a sense of accomplishment and challenge.

No. 2: As You Set Goals, Try to Hit Singles Instead of Grand Slams

The classic mistake that many of us make when we’re planning out the new year is that we try to swing for the proverbial fences by committing to tackle huge goals.

Rather than trying to launch a mammoth home run of an endeavor, play small ball, says Deborah Sweeney, CEO of MyCorporation.

“Approach the process in small doses to progress forward. Don’t push yourself to do too much all at once,” Sweeney said. “Take small, measured steps toward your goals and allow yourself to make edits to your self-proposed timeline as you go.”

That last part is important because, no matter how meticulous we are in our planning, surprises are inevitable. Being able to adjust your goals on the fly will help you adapt to changing circumstances and succeed amid the chaos.

No. 3 Incorporate Daily Walks into Your Work Schedule

If you work at a desk job, you’ve probably heard by now that sitting at a desk all day can, over time, be damaging to your health. Taking a walk around the office at the top of the hour is a great way to curb the side effects of being sedentary.

However, that’s not why Ryne Higgins, a senior manager at home-décor company Peacock Alley, recommended to us that we should be taking walks every day.

Higgins pointed out that walks add elements of mental stimulation that will enhance our workday.

“Many people often overlook the importance of getting up from their desk and moving around,” Higgins said. “The complete change in setting and movement allows the brain to subconsciously problem-solve and increases circulation throughout your body, making your more refreshed and focused when you return to your desk.”

No. 4 Reward Yourself

As you launch into this new year, think about implementing a rewards system for yourself. Most of us look for those rewards in the things our coworkers say, our yearly review with our boss or in the form a bonus or commissions.

However, says workplace author Holly Caplan, it’s perfectly fine for you to implement some self-imposed rewards. The advice isn’t easy to take, though…even for Caplan.

“I never let myself experience a reward for my hard work as I was already on to the next thing. I didn’t allow myself the space to feel positive from a deal I had closed or landing a new account,” she said. “The product of this cycle was the constant dwelling in what I had not yet accomplished, which led to negative thinking.”

To break that cycle, she allowed herself rewards for her accomplishments and encourages her colleagues to do the same.

“Your rewards may come in the form of drinks with friends, a new bag or just sitting in silence,” she said. “Regardless, this year, reward yourself and allow yourself the positivity. Do you know what positivity leads to? More positivity.”

Your work desk is a platform for judgment.

There’s no way of avoiding it. When people walk by your space and you’re not there, they scan your work area. They see what’s on your desk and what’s not on your desk. And they may, either consciously or unconsciously, form an opinion about you.

In this sense, your desk is like an advertisement for you, a billboard that’s marketing who you are and how you work.

However, you might be surprised to know that professionals across different industries agree that your desk says something about you, but they don’t agree on what it is your desk is saying.

We talked with a trio of professionals to get their opinion on what your work desk says about you:

• Toni Lowe, career strategist and founder of The Corporate Tea
• Philip Shaw, founder and CEO of international translation and tech company TransPerfect Global
• Ketan Kapoor, CEO and co-founder of Mettl

Is a Spotless Desk a Sign of an Organized Mind?

Our experts were decisive about this one. For the most part, a clean desk indicates some level of order and structure.

“A neat and tidy desk … tells that you are good at organizing work and visual clutter impacts your levels of productivity at work,” Kapoor said. “Attention to detail is one quality that reflects when you keep your work desk tidy than messing it up altogether. Generally, the more you tidy up your work desk; the better is your focus and clarity to your work.”

You don’t want to go overboard on the organization though because an overly minimalistic workspace might seem a little too sterile, Shawe said.

“An empty, spotless desk can demonstrate that you are not committed to a long stay or aren’t that confident you will be accepted or kept,” he said. “That has a lonely, solitary feel and it isn’t good for a congenial, collaborative experience.”

Should You have Photos of Family, Friends and/or Significant Others on Your Desk?

Some of us love showing off our spouses, kids, friends or partners via photos on our desk. It’s a way to share our lives with those around us in a passive way.

But is it a good idea to bring your personal life into your workspace? Shaw says it’s a simple method for making our space – and ourselves – better.

“When your desk is neat but has pictures of family and friends, a few mementos, pens, paper and accessible work needs, it can be indicative of a strong work ethic and strong ties to the workplace,” he said.

Kapoor agrees. He noted that displaying photos of your family, for example, lets you and your coworkers know that your life is more than what happens at work.

“As far as family photos are concerned, it’s quite heartwarming to have them in front of you at your workplace,” he said. “Many people call it an emotional distraction; however, it can actually serve a reminder that your work life has a broader purpose and keeping a balance between work and family is a prerequisite to holistic living.”

Does a Spotless Desk Mean That You’re a Good Employee?

This might be the most interesting question. Many of us see a clean desk as a sign of an organized mind and, it stands to reason, organized employees are better for the company than those with messy desks.

However, Shawe pointed out that your overall demeanor and work ethic has far more to say about you than your desk. Don’t make the mistake of believing a clean desk makes up for a poor attitude.

“Conduct is always king, and cleanliness does not necessarily mean you are a good employee. You need to be pleasant, intuitive, savvy and talented in your field,” he said. “If you are the latter three but unpleasant to be around, cleanliness or not, your conduct defines you.”

Lowe said that, in her experience, a clean desk isn’t a guarantee that its owner is a productive employee.

“The truth is, while a clean desk might be an indication of how you keep your home or preferred spaces there is no real proof that there is a connection between a neat desk and productivity,” she said. “In fact, I’d argue over the years of coaching senior level leaders, and as an HR practitioner the some of the most brilliant business leaders didn’t always have the neatest desk or offices.”

The holidays are the season for giving.

At workplaces across the country, employees start charity drives and/or events to raise money and gifts for those who are in need. While the concept is simple, planning an effective charity event is actually pretty complex. To help you ease the stress and ensure a successful event, we talked with several experts, including Jerome Tennille, a Navy veteran and manager of volunteerism at Marriott International.

Start Your Planning by Recognizing the Basics

Tennille said there are three principles you need to understand before you start: Meet the needs of the community you want to serve, have a compelling call-to-action for your fellow employees and make it easy to participate.

Meeting the Needs of the Community

This is the first step in the process. Stephanie Jones, founder of Giving Gal, suggests taking a quick poll during work to find out what’s compelling.

“Ask input from your employees regarding which causes they’d like to support,” she said. “People are more likely to get involved if they feel their voices have been heard.”

Once you’ve identified the cause, then take some time to figure out how you can best meet the needs of those in your community you want to help. Tennille said this step is crucial to running a charity event or drive that is truly effective.

“When I say it must meet the needs of the community, what I’m referring to is the necessity to do research to identify the issue in society, and then connecting with an organization you can work with to set up the collection drive or fundraiser,” he said.

You may find that the organization or cause you want to work with would be much better off if you helped them in, say, July, than during the holiday season.

“Often times we seek to serve over the holidays, when in fact many organizations most often need the support outside of the holiday months,” he said. “So, understanding the needs of an organization or community is key.”

Use Smart Planning to Make a Compelling Call to Action

Fundraisers, whether done over the course of a few weeks or at a one-time event, aren’t going to be successful unless you’re able to get the word out to your co-workers.

You’ll want to do this at least a month before the drive or event happens so that everyone knows who they’re donating to and what they can donate.

“You should plan these events at least a month in advance. This will allow you to set up collection bins and source any materials you need for promoting the event,” Tennille said. “In the instance that this is a collection drive, this gives you time to communicate what you need while also providing time for people to collect those items.”

Work with your team to plan when/if you can make announcements about the charity effort during a meeting. Place flyers in the break room and, when appropriate, send out details via email.

Make Sure the Charity Initiative Integrates into the Workday

The last thing you want is a charity drive or event that interrupts the workday or impedes the focus and workflow of your office.

If you’re running a toy drive, be smart about where you place your donation boxes. You don’t want them to be a distraction but, at the same time, you want them to be visible enough to remind people they have a chance to be kind.

“Depending on the policy at your office you’ll want to ensure that what you plan doesn’t disrupt the business operations, so it must be easy to give, donate and collect items,” Tennille said. “If this is a collection drive you might want to set out collection bins at exits and entrances, so people can
donate as they come into the office.”

If you’re doing a one-time fundraising event, he said, then make sure you plan it during a lunch break rather than another time when everyone usually works. The disruption discourages people from participating and could cause your event to be viewed as an annoyance rather than an opportunity.

A Real-Life Example of a Charity Success

Matt Dodgson, director of U.K.-based Market Recruitment, said his team came up with a gift-wrapping fundraiser that ended up being a positive, helpful experience for his team.

His office was full of creative people who happened to be good at gift wrapping. So, the company decided to run a gift-wrapping drive in which they reached out to family, friends, clients and the community around them, he said.

The event was a success because Dodgson and his colleagues started their planning early, made a concerted effort publicize the drive and they ran a well-organized campaign in which they had a pair of gift drop-off spots. His company used Google forms to allow people to choose a date and time to drop off their presents to be wrapped.

Also, he said they used a tiered pricing model in which smaller presents were cheaper to wrap and bigger presents were more expensive. People were happy to pay for gift wrapping when they knew the funds were going to a charity.

“Overall this was a fun way for us to feel engaged with our community. Sometimes it meant us spending an extra hour at the office at night wrapping presents in order to meet deadlines, but we made a party out of it. We would play holiday music and dance as we wrapped,” Dodgson said. “In the end, we raised about £1.000 for charity, which was great for our small team.”

New jobs are thrilling. Having to incorporate yourself into a new community of colleagues? Not so much, especially for those who tend to be introverts.

The transition to a new workplace takes a certain level of intention and purposeful action to make that transition as smooth as possible. And, according to talent consulting firm Visier, the advice can’t come soon enough. Turnover is highest in January, they say.

We’ve created a series of three articles to help you transition effectively. In this post, we’re featuring the advice of Becky Prideaux, a workplace consultant with more than 25 years of experience in the industry.

#1: Write Down the Reasons You’re Getting Your New Job

We’ve all experienced the honeymoon phase of getting a new job but, if we’re honest with ourselves, there are clear moments when we might second-guess our decision to take a new position. It can be tough to leave the stability and security of your current job for the unknown of a new job.

The best way to manage those moments of doubt is to write down the reasons why you took the new job – what excites you? – and keep that list with you for those moments of doubt, Prideaux said.

“After you have been in a new role a little while most people experience a moment when you feel really unsettled and wonder why on earth they changed jobs,” she said. “If and when you do have that moment, this list will help you stay focused and doing a great job.”

#2: Plan Ahead for Your First Day

You want your first day of work to be perfect. That goal may be unattainable, though, if you aren’t clear on some basic logistics like where to park, how bad traffic is and other factors that could cause you to be late.

Talk with your HR department to find out exactly where you need to park, how early you should leave to get to work on time and which types of paperwork or identification you’ll need to complete the onboarding process.

“Knowing you have these details handled will take the pressure off you and allow you to focus on making a great impression rather than turning up late and stressed because you couldn’t find somewhere to park,” she said.

#3: Hire a Success Coach

Prideaux said this tip is a crucial one for those moving into a senior management position, where demands and expectations are high and the margin for error is minuscule.

“Research has shown that having a specialist coach to work with you in your first three months can double the chances of being rated as successful in your new role after your first year,” she said.

Your coach can also help you handle your new relationships by strengthening your view of yourself and helping you navigate the various personalities in your new workplace.

#4: Set Boundaries on Your Work Hours

During the first month of a new job, you’ll be motivated to show your new co-workers and bosses that you are reliable and educated. This mindset may lead to you working more hours than you normally would.

However, Prideaux said, this can backfire on you because it may give your new employer the impression that you always want to work late and are willing to sacrifice your work-life balance for the company.

Therefore, you should consider hard boundaries in your first month that define your priorities. Once those boundaries are set, you can deviate when needed.

“Especially in management and leadership roles there is often a pressure to be at work or available for very long hours,” she noted. “Important though it is, work is only part of your life and it needs to work for you in conjunction with everything else,” she noted. “For example, being clear about how late you are willing to stay and sticking to it from the start is much easier than trying to pull back from long hours later.”

Looking Ahead: More Tips for Transitioning to a New Workplace

Getting a new job is exhilarating and taxing at the same time. As we mentioned in the introduction to this post, it helps to set clear goals for your first month in the workplace.

We’ll help you meet those goals in two subsequent posts in which we provide insight from a multitude of experts and workplace consultants.

Productivity is that elusive quality that few seem to master.

The Golden Age of technology hasn’t helped. Our tablets, phones, and smartwatches constantly beg for our attention. We try to ignore them, but it can be an effort that requires just as much energy as your work.

Reaching a high level of productivity can be a tough task but it’s not an impossible one. We talked with workplace consultants and coaches to find out what you can do this week to strengthen your productivity.

1) Learn how to say “no”

Workspaces should have a certain level of privacy to them but, even if they do, your colleagues may have a knack of popping in right when you’re finding your groove on a project.

Alison Haselden, a marketing consultant at www.canirank.com, says a well-intentioned tendency to be too accommodating can crush your productivity.

“Getting distracted from the task at hand is a sure-fire way to ruin efficiency and productivity. It can be difficult especially in a busy office setting with co-workers constantly dropping by your desk for advice or assistance on a different project,” Haselden said. “As wonderful as it is to support your teammates, it’s necessary to learn to say ‘no’ and set boundaries to enable you to complete your own work first.”

2) Take Mini-Breaks

Your mind is a terrible thing to waste, especially at work. However, that’s exactly what can happen if you lock yourself in the office for hours on end and don’t get some fresh air.

To help your mind stay fresh and focused, make a habit of getting away from your workstation, said Zana Amin, co-founder of Canadian lifestyle company Continual Growth.

“Every 50 minutes, get up and go for a short walk, perhaps to the kitchen or around the office or to the other side of the office. Just make sure you get up and move around; you’ll come back to your work refreshed,” he said.

3) Don’t Over-Schedule Your Day

One of the age-old bits of advice for productivity is scheduling. Write out your day and there’s a good chance you’ll be more productive than you would be without a list.

However, there can be drawbacks to getting so intense about your scheduling that every quarter-hour is mapped out, says Harrison Doan, director of analytics at mattress company Loom & Leaf.

“Don’t try to go overboard with your scheduling. Mapping out every 15 minutes of your day may seem productive in theory, but things rarely work out as we plan,” Doan said. “I’ve found success by writing out weekly and daily to-do lists without specific time constraints. That way, I’m able to prioritize my tasks and get them done in an order that makes sense for that day.”

4) Cut Back on Your Email Time

Imagine what your day would be like if you answered every email the moment it arrived in your inbox. Nothing would get done outside of clicking the “send” button dozens of times.

That’s why Mark Lavercombe, founder of The Productive Physician, calls email “the destroyer of modern workplace productivity.”

“Close your email app/browser for as much of your day as possible. Email is the destroyer of modern workplace productivity, and by taking back control of your time and attention you will become far more effective,” Lavercombe said. “Set an autoresponder that explains that you process email between certain times each day and provide a phone number if you need to be reached in an emergency. Then work on the tasks that truly matter.”

5) Clean Up Your Desk

If you’ve got planners and calendars on your desk amid a sea of staplers, papers and all sorts of other office-related knick-knacks, it’s time to clean up a bit.

Doing so can clear your mind and it will also help you to focus on one task at a time, said Nicky Peachment, a business coach in the U.K.

“Tidy your desk so you can easily reach what you need to. Keep the project you’re working on out, and put everything else away,” Peachment said. “This helps you to focus on what you need to do next, rather than allow other tasks to distract you. Multi-tasking is a myth. You can only do one thing at a time, so do it and move on.”

Looking Ahead: Part Two of Our Series

We received an overwhelming response when we reached out to experts about things you can do to increase productivity. In our next post, we’ll review what was shared here and provide 10 more tips we think you’ll enjoy.

We’ve all had that Michael Scott moment, haven’t we?

You’re sitting in a meeting that seems to be going on forever and whoever is leading the discussion seems to be rambling on without an end in sight. It’s reminiscent of one particular scene in The Office in which the hapless Scott says, “Sometimes I’ll start a sentence and I don’t even know where it’s going. I just hope I find it along the way.”

Lack of a clear goal is one of the quickest ways to undercut office communication but, as experts have pointed out to us, bad communication habits aren’t permanent.

There are dozens of ways you can improve the way that you transmit information in your workplace, whether it be an important meeting, a brainstorming session or an intra-office email with details about a company picnic.

This post and the upcoming one for next month will offer some excellent reminders on how you can rehabilitate and strengthen the communication in your workplace.

Invest in a Strong Intranet

Intranets are a classic double-edged sword situation. Having one is a great way to ensure clear communication about events and benchmarks but it can be the bane of your team if it’s not properly designed and optimized for fluid communication.

Darya Afonava, a marketing specialist with software development firm ScienceSoft, says it’s time you make your company intranet the fulcrum of correspondence.

“They offer solutions that optimize connecting employees with their teams, managers, HR, etc. For example, personal pages can be helpful for task distribution and progress assessment,” Afonava said.

Another advantage with intranets is that they can be a platform for team projects, accessible from the office and at home.

“They can also facilitate joining working groups, sharing professional experience or discussing business issues,” Afonava said. “It is especially important for newcomers, since they need to navigate in a large flow of new people and information.”

When You Need Clarity, Don’t Be Afraid to Call

We’ve gotten so used to sending emails back and forth to our colleagues that phone calls seem almost antiquated.

However, many an issue can be resolved with a three-minute phone call instead of a carefully crafted email that takes up at least 10 minutes of your time.

Email was intended to be a quick way to communicate, but it’s not always the best solution for getting clarity, says Ayesha Gallion, senior communications editor at Inteplast Group.

“Sometimes a phone call is more convenient for one party, or even all parties involved – but if one person shies away from this kind of fluid communication, completing projects or collectively finding solutions may take longer than needed,” she said.

Gather Data About Personalities and Use It

The golden age of personality tests is slowly fading but there are still uses for tests like the Meyers-Briggs and Enneagram.

For career coach and TEDx speaker Tracy Timm, a test called the Predictive Index is her go-to assessment tool when she consults with businesses about how to improve workplace communication.

The test highlights various aspects of each employee’s personality and helps everyone understand that while one person may need to talk out solutions to a problem, another might need to think it out first.

In fact, she encourages those who take the test to leave the results on their desk or in common areas where their co-workers can see it.

“I find that because these profiles are readily available they can be used in the moment to remind someone of the similarities and differences between herself and her coworker,” Timm said. “This allows for real-time change in behavior and analysis of self. But it all comes down to a person’s willingness to modify their behavior and communication for someone else.”

Employees who aren’t willing to communicate undermine the process, so it’s important to bring in talented people who are coachable, Timm said.

Looking Ahead to Part Two of Our Series

In our next post, we’ll go over four more expert insights into how to improve office communication.

While many of the tips we provide are related to communication methods and theories, remember that office communication also includes the choices you make about workstations.

We specialize in providing solutions for your office, many of which improve productivity and communication through simple choices about desks, cubicles and furniture.