Smarter Working: What’s your Intention for 2013?

So, you have an idea what you want to achieve in 2013…but can’t quite put it into words… but it’s there. Does this sound familiar?

Well, following this example through, say you were driving somewhere, and you had some idea where you wanted to go, but hadn’t planned where… well, you would be taking a gamble- it is likely you will spend some time driving around aimlessly-lost and worse; waste fuel and energy trying to find your destination. This might be ok, if you have lots of time, but typically we don’t and it gets pretty frustrating pretty quickly. It’s not fun!

Investing the time in planning where you’re going and how you’ll get there beforehand saves this anxiety; if you know your destination, and you have planned how to get there, you can have confidence that you are travelling in the right direction. As you travel along, you’ll recognise landmarks that confirm and reassure you that you are nearing your end point. This reassurance relieves pressure so you can even enjoy your journey. We also require to take a similar approach with our workloads. If there is a important deadline ahead, we must plan sufficiently so we can work as effectively as possible and in a way that enables us to chart the strides we are making towards achieving the goals required. This can involve us breaking the goal up into smaller achievable ones and as we achieve each small one, we know we are nearer completion of the whole project.

Without planning, you do not recognise where you are in relation to where you began. The landmarks you pass along your journey have little significance; you miss the signs that reassure you that you are actually moving forward and in the right direction! And so this provokes a stress response which can trigger feelings of anxiety categorised by worrying and similar stress sensations like sweating and negative chastisement of self. I really hate being late –  the thought always crosses my mind: ‘Why didn’t I allow for more time!’, ‘I’m going to miss the start of the event – how’s this going to look to my work colleagues?’.

The intention of planning your journey is to ensure that it is a smooth one- the planning is the legwork; it is the commitment you are making to ensure your journey is a success and that you get to your destination as smoothly as possible.

So applying this to yourself; What is your Intention for 2013?

Where do you want to go and what do you want to achieve in 2013? Do you seek a promotion, are there some conflicts at work that you wish to rise above?

Where do you want your journey to take you? In what ways can you change your work routine to ensure your success?

It is worth investing your time, planning and working towards your goals for 2013 in order to save your time, energies and have a smoother, more assured year.

Can you afford not to? Taking the time, to identify the resources that will help you achieve your workplace goals this year is crucial. Don’t worry, you won’t need to it alone. For advice, and direction, get in touch.

You can also book to attend the ‘Setting my Intention for the Year Ahead’ workshop.