Ten New Year's Resolutions for the workplace in 2013

The beginning of each new year brings with it the inevitable resolutions - losing weight, getting fit, quitting smoking and drinking less alcohol are always top of our lists. But what about making resolutions for the workplace? Here are our top ten:

1. Be organised

This may seem obvious and most of us add this to our list of resolutions every year, but still manage to procrastinate or get in a fluster before a deadline. But persevere; write to do lists every morning so that you get into the habit of planning your day, dividing up your hours and getting things done in a specific time frame.

2. Prioritise

Even if you get bombarded with menial tasks, make sure that you do them properly and efficiently. Avoid leaving jobs sitting on your desk for days as that’s a recipe for procrastination. Don’t forget to inform whoever assigned you the task that you’ve completed it too. Return emails promptly and soon you’ll be known for your efficiency in the office.

3. Be specific

Make sure that when you’re giving instructions, your colleagues know exactly what you want. If you miss the point when asking, they’ll probably miss it when producing the work. This goes both ways too. If you don’t understand what the boss wants from you, make it your resolution to clarify everything before you begin a task. You’ll be more efficient and less stressed about your workload.

4. Don’t waste time online

We all have distractions, but whether yours is social media or daydreaming about that holiday you haven’t booked yet, do it on your own time. Getting work done within office hours means that you’ll be less stressed about deadlines. And if you’re more productive at work, it’s only a matter of time before the boss notices.

5. Take everything in your stride

Give yourself a pat on the back when you deserve it and don’t beat yourself up when you make a mistake. Learn from the errors you make and your job can only become easier.

6. Give others credit where credit is due

Whether you’re the boss or an office junior, recognising that someone has done a good job will improve your relationships in the office, others will want to impress you and it’s more likely that colleagues will work harder if their hard work isn’t going unnoticed.

7. Network

Active participation in work events and conferences will pay off when looking for a promotion or even if you’re just striving to be better at your job.

8. Don’t gossip

No one wants to be known as the office gossip and it’s one of the easiest ways to lose respect and trust in the office environment.

9. Aim high

Challenge yourself and your team to do better. Use incentives when doing team projects and even if you do a brilliant job, look to see if you can do it even better next time. It’ll stop you from getting stuck into boring routines and you’ll learn much more and you can show off your new skills to the boss.

10. Keep your personal and professional life separate

This goes without saying, the office crier or angry admin assistant is a strain on productivity. Make sure that it’s not you.