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5 New Year’s Resolutions for Managers

December 27, 2016 by Anna-Kati Pahker
Categories: Management Tips
Did you know that although about a half of us make New Year's resolutions, only 8% of the resolutions made on that blissful eve actually get fulfilled? Some say that it's due to the fact that the resolutions are too unrealistic or that there isn't a plan. Others say it's the lack of definition and the fact that the resolutions are too vague. Since we want you to be the 8% that actually succeeds, we came up with 5 resolutions to make why you should make them and the way you can fulfill them. 


Resource planning

1. Promise to delegate everything you don't have to do yourself. Delegating leaves you more time to do the planning according to the big picture. It helps you not to get lost in the midst of the details. As a bonus, it motivates your team and builds skills for them. Start delegating by making a list of things that need to be done. Now, mark the ones that you, and only you can do. Be honest here. If there’s a task that you can easily train someone else to do, do it. It’ll save you time in the long run. Then, think about the people in your team and their skills and workload. Divide the tasks accordingly. Boom, it’s that simple!

How to make it stick? Think about your planning habits and make delegating a part of your normal resource planning. If you plan for your team once a week, make the delegating list once a week etc.

2. Promise to have free time in your busy schedule. In the long short and long run. Remember that your brain is a muscle and it needs some time off. Give your brain some downtime during your workday, and you will be rewarded with more productivity. For example, start following the rule of 52 and 17. This formula states that if you work full-on for 52 minutes and then take 17-minute breaks before getting back to it, your productivity is going to be off the charts. People who have used it usually tend to agree. And in the long run, try to plan a day in a week where you take your mind off work fully. Focus on your family or cozy up with a book or Netflix. The choice is yours. Just don’t even dare to check your email.

How to make it stick? Try out time tracking apps like Toggl for that 52 and 17 rule to make it as easy as possible for yourself.

3. Promise to embrace failure. The mantra of every entrepreneur out there. But it’s going to make the year ahead of you better if you welcome it to your office. If you do it right, of course. Embracing failure works, if you analyze why you failed. That’s the thing you should make you team to understand - it’s okay to fail if you learn something from it.

How to make it stick? You have to really believe it. For one day, analyze every single failure that occurs in your day, even the tiniest things. Being late for work or burning that omelet. Make yourself see that you can actually learn so much from everything if you just pay attention.

4. Promise to praise those that deserve it. The magic of employee recognition increases performance. And that’s definitely something you want, right? If your employees don’t feel valued, there’s more tension in the office, more errors, and poor customer service together with higher staff turnover are right around the corner. You are probably going to agree that those are not good things. The right way to praise your team is to be genuine about it and praise the one’s that deserve it.  Make your compliments specific and individual. That’s the way they work the best.

How to make it stick? Well, the easiest way is to implement making more compliments as a regular part of your everyday life. You are thinking how cute that girl’s hair is? Tell her. Your husband or wife made extra yummy coffee today? Tell them. Just force it out of yourself. Even if it feels weird at first, the endgame is going to be superb.

5. Promise to work out regularly. It’s basic, we know. Regardless, it has been found that exercise is the thing that’s going to reduce that pain in your neck that comes from sitting at the table all the time. It improves cardio-respiratory fitness. It boosts productivity. It’s just good for you, and you know it. If you are trying to talk yourself out of going to the gym because you are too tired from work, remember that the scientist at the University of Canberra found that mental fatigue doesn’t affect exercise performance. So just get off your butt!

How to make it stick? You have to be precise about it. Set an achievable goal that you can follow. Experts say that you must rest at least one day a week and exercise 3-5 days depending on what you are trying to achieve.

If you manage to fulfill all five at the same time, you are truly a magical unicorn of a human being. If you manage to succeed at one of the promises, you are still probably ahead of 92% of the others that made New Year's resolutions. So make a plan, be realistic, and define exactly what you want to achieve.

Management Tips