Recently, Tim Herrera, editor of the New York Times newsletter, Smarter Living, shared 8 tips for working smarter in 2020. Here are links to his advice.
1 | Find more happiness at work
According to Herrera, up to a third of United States workers say they don’t feel engaged at work. Sometimes, just small changes at work can be all you need.
2 | Use your strengths more wisely
Many people are so focused on improving their weaknesses, they don’t have the chance to do what they do best every day. That’s the opposite of what most workers should do.
3 | Track your failures and learn from them
When things go right, we’re typically good at identifying why they went right. According to Herrera, falling on our faces gives us the rare opportunity to find and address the things that went wrong.
4 | Avoid workplace drama
Gossip at work is common, as is the desire to be a part of a group. In a new work environment, this combination can be harmful if you fall in with colleagues who are known for being negative and wasting productive time. According to Jill Jacinto, a millennial career advisor, “it’s best to avoid gossip altogether.”
5 | Are you doing what you want to be doing?
It’s one of the toughest questions most workers will grapple with. “I’m a big believer in evaluating where you think you are in your life about once a year,” says Art Markman, author of the book Bring Your Brain to Work. “Don’t wait for a tragedy to strike before you’re willing to actually think about this,” he says.
6 | Learn to deal with jerks (without being one)
Workplace jerks are the people who demean and disrespect you. They might steal credit for your successes, blame you for their failures, invade your privacy or break their promises, or bad-mouth you, scream at you and belittle you. Here are some tips for coping with them.
7 | Be smarter about asking for advice
It’s a request experienced people of any industry often get: “Can I buy you coffee and pick your brain?” For a busy professional, unsolicited requests for a casual, informational interview can come off as entitled and presumptuous.
8 | Get better at job interviews
One survey reveals that 92 percent of adults have job interview anxiety. They worry that they won’t be able to express themselves clearly, or that we won’t look right. Here are tips for overcoming your interview fears.