The 6 Best Work Advice Tips Heading Into 2022
When the clock strikes midnight on Dec 31st, many of us are thinking about the changes we want to make in the new year. Since most of our waking hours are spent at work, it makes sense to be intentional about how to have the healthiest relationship with work going into 2022.
Whether you love your job or hate it, here are six tips that will help you go into work in the new year with your best foot forward.
1. Leave the past in the past.
You may have had a rough time this past year, but you don't need to make negative predictions about what will be in 2022. Take the opportunity of a new year to wipe the slate clean. Don't be afraid to set intentions to help you break free from the old routines and start something new. If you repeat the same routines and patterns from the previous year, you'll have the same outcomes - so if you want a change, you have to change the routine and patterns too.
2. Baby steps often lead to the best outcomes.
If you're trying to establish better habits and routines in 2022, consider starting small. Extreme behavior change tends to overwhelm and intimidate our brains and put us into "fight, flight, or freeze" mode. Baby steps are easier to stick with because they aren't intimidating, so our brains don't see the need to go into protective mode at all. Pro tip: if taking on a new thing makes you feel anxious, try breaking the task into smaller steps until you no longer feel intimidated. For example, instead of setting a goal to finish an entire slide deck, how about just getting the first slide completed?
3. When in doubt, communicate directly.
Since so many people have switched to work from home/remote work setups, digital communication replacing face-to-face interaction means that there's more room for miscommunication. If someone's email or text message seems short, instead of assuming they are upset with you, clarify with a follow-up question, prioritizing a method of communication as close to real life as possible (i.e. video first, then audio, then real-time chat, and lastly asynchronous communication such as text messaging or email.)
4. Speak up.
You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. More often than not, you'll regret what you don't say, especially when it comes to advocating for yourself. If you're nervous about asking for what you want - like a pay raise, promotion, or that corner office - you're not alone. A simple youtube or google search will point you to lots of helpful resources on how to vocalize your desires in an assertive, but not demanding, way. Similarly, if you have concerns, keeping them to yourself doesn't help anyone. If something's worrying or concerning, try asking for help instead of pretending everything's ok.
5. Don't avoid conflict.
Sure, conflict can be scary, especially in the workplace. But it's way better to find out for sure if there's a problem than to spend emotional energy trying to guess if there's one. Instead of seeing conflict as a frightening thing to be avoided, see it as an opportunity to learn and increase understanding.
6. Establish your boundaries ahead of time, including how much time you spend on your computer each day, and when you'll take breaks.
If you're not intentional about boundaries with work then you may find yourself dealing with burnout. Remember that rest is an essential part of productivity - in fact - studies show that people who take breaks are more productive than those who don't.
Whether your work for yourself from home or share an office with others, you deserve a workplace that supports your health and wellbeing.
So, what’s your dream workplace, and what habits are going to help you get there in 2022?
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