Think back on the last three people you know who were promoted at your organization. What do they all have in common?
Think back on the last few tasks you’ve promised to finish for a team member (or family member/friend) by a certain date. Did you deliver all of these tasks on time?
As much as we might want to, it’s not always easy to get a full eight hours of sleep a night. What’s more in our control (to some extent, at least) is the quality of sleep we get. Evaluate your sleeping environment. Does it get completely dark at night, or do car lights trickle in through the blinds? Do you often find yourself waking up because it’s too hot? What environmental changes could you make to improve your sleep quality?
The next time you’re feeling stressed, try this breathing technique. Inhale through your nose while counting slowly to four. Then hold your breath for another count of four. Exhale through your mouth for four seconds. Hold your breath again for another four seconds. Continue this pattern.
The next time you’re feeling stressed or worried about an upcoming deadline or task, take a moment to put a label on what you’re feeling. Are you fearful? Frustrated? Pressured? Now see if you can relabel that emotion with a more positive spin. “Fear” might become “anticipation;” “alarmed” could be “curious.”
Take 10 minutes to neaten up your workspace. Put papers in a stack to review later, wipe down your laptop screen, and organize your office supplies.
The next time you have a one-on-one meeting—especially if it’s over Zoom—make sure that you’re giving the other person your undivided attention. Put away your phone, minimize any other tabs, and make it a goal to listen more than you speak.
The next time you’re interviewing someone for a position, be specific about what needs to be accomplished in the first 12 months. What would a successful first year look like?
Set a pad of paper next to your workspace for the remainder of the day. At the end of every hour, ask yourself, “Did the last 60 minutes contribute to me accomplishing the goals that are most important to me?” Write down your answer.
Think about someone on your team who is known for being confident. Now rank your team members according to how influential each person is on the team. Include your own ranking. Can you identify behaviors that seem to be correlated with high influence? Can you identify behaviors that seem to be negatively correlated with influence?
