Getting Your 2021 Off To A Great Start

First impressions are important. Even science backs up that fact–thanks to the psychological phenomenon known as the “primacy effect,” people are more likely to remember beginnings. Given that, we’re certain you’ll want to make sure your new year at work gets off to an impressive start, whether you’re continuing on in your present role or entering into a new professional environment. Our carefully-selected pros below offer up tips on how to persevere in the new year, and how to holistically keep clutter at bay as you tackle any task your workplace throws your way..

Over at Forbes, Michael D. Brown advises,  “Learn to omit the negative and be positive. ‘Omitting the negative means learning from the inevitable negative experiences you will encounter without dwelling on them or letting them consume the valuable real estate in your head,’ Brown says. ‘The air these days is full of negativity and pessimism, and others who have given up in the face of difficult times will do their best to drag you to their level. Remember, tough times do not last; tough people do.’” The emphasis at the end there is ours. You’ve already made it this far! We know you can keep going. And in both the workplace and beyond, make sure you’re sharing that positive attitude with those around you, lending a helping hand whenever you can to strengthen your communities even as you strive to toughen up yourself. We love this tip for its reassurance! Remember, you’ve made it this far. You have the strength to keep succeeding as you proceed into 2021.

Next up, decluttering your workplace is a surefire way to provide a clean slate in the new year. Liz Peintner at Idealist provides a list of things to get rid of, including “[y]our smartphone. A 2017 study on smartphone use reported that ‘even when people are successful at maintaining sustained attention…the mere presence of these devices reduces available cognitive capacity.’ This means major distractions when you’re trying to concentrate on an important task. Unless your job includes social media management, find a drawer where your phone can stay while you’re focused on more important matters.”  This simple trick will help you keep your eye on the prize: making yourself indispensable to your employer by showing off just how focused you can be. Especially amidst our current, unprecedented circumstances, it’s easy to succumb to the phenomenon known as “doomscrolling.” Think of putting down your smartphone and keeping away from social media sites as a way to provide yourself with a bit of mental relaxation, a psychological palate cleanser from the news that you consume. It’s okay to not be on top of every breaking development the moment it occurs–it’s also just plain impossible to do so. Instead of holding yourself to impossible standards, focus on what it is that you CAN do: make a great impression on your employers and colleagues as you enter into January.

Keep all of these steps in mind and the first impression you make in 2021 is sure to be a great impression. Put that burst of extra energy brought by the new calendar year to good use! And remember that as much as January 1st can be a helpful starting point, you get a fresh start when you wake up all 365 days of the year. No matter what happened in 2020–and we know that a LOT happened last year–you can shake it off and wow your colleagues and boss. Give yourself permission to hit reset. And if you’re looking for even more ways to get your 2021 off to a great start by getting into the right frame of mind, visit us again tomorrow for our Feel Good Friday: Start edition.

Image retrieved from Pixabay under the public domain.

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