What a difference one day can make when that day is January 1st. Frustrations and failings from the previous year get tossed aside as you replace your old diary with the new. It’s fresh pages, undamaged and unclogged, give hope for a bright future, full of ambition and success.
With that hope in mind, we’ve created a list of 5 habits that’ll help turn your 2019 dreams into actions and your actions into successes. Drop us an email if you’ve got another habit worth sharing.
1. Get More Sleep
4 out of 10 Australian adults are not getting enough sleep and it’s costing us in terms of productivity and creativity.
7 – 9 hours sleep is the recommended nightly dosage for people aged 18 – 64 years. The benefits of getting your fill are never-ending, including a longer and healthy life. For your professional life, you can expect:
- Improved concentration
- Improved memory
- Reduced stress
- Improved creativity
- Improved moods and relationships
- Less need for coffee!!!
2. Exercise More
When successful people are questioned about their habits, daily exercise is a common feature. Why? Because whilst most of us ‘can’t find the time’ the benefits derived from the recommended 30-minutes of daily exercise more than makes up for it with improved performance.
Professional benefits you can expect from regular exercise include:
- Reduced stress
- Improved self-confidence
- Improved sleep
- Improved mental health
- More energy
- Improved moods
3. Listen to More Podcasts
The popularity of podcasts has exploded over the last few years and so too has the quality of content being produced. Listening to a podcast that specialises in your industry is a fun and easy way to stay on top of trends, inspire creative thoughts and sound smart when talking to colleagues. And best of all, you can do it on your commute to work.
Another popular trend is lists, which is convenient when you’re trying to find a new podcast. Type ‘your industry’ + ‘podcast’ into Google and it’ll no return scores of top 10 lists, some of which will be worthy of your attention.
4. Set SMART Goals
Goals are not all born equal. A recent study on New Year’s Resolutions showed that 80% fail by February. That’s a big number and a short period of time.
By using a technique such as SMART goal setting (S – Specific, M – Measurable, A – Agreed Upon, R – and T – Time Based), you’ll not only improve the likelihood of achieving your goal, you’ll improve the goal itself.
Note: We’ve made our Chatterbox goal setting ‘SMARTA’ by adding Accountable to the end of the acronym. By scheduling regular coffee catch-ups with a trusted friend or colleague, you’ll stay accountable for your progress, helping you stay motivated and on track.
4. Set SMART Goals
Why is it that despite all the available technologies, a CEOs will jump on a flight from Melbourne to London for a single meeting? The cost of that meeting is surely in excess of $30,000 when considering wages, flights and accommodation. The answer is, there’s no substitute for face to face communication.
The benefits of face to face communication include:
- Improved trust, credibility and relationships
- Improved quality of communication
- Improved effectiveness
- Improved motivation
- Improved collaboration
We challenge you to improve your professional networks with more face to face meet-ups. Meet-ups can include attending a conference, joining a business network or simply drinking more coffee with clients and colleagues.
From everyone at Chatterbox, we hope your 2019 is full of wild dreams and great successes. If there’s anything we can do to help you along the way, please email info@chatterboxmarketing.com.au.
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