How Reflecting on the Day’s Work Improves the Next
Posted March 15th, 2011
Of all the valuable tools available to help us meet our daily goals, there is one that is not to be found in a smartphone, in the drawers of our desks or in a supply closet. In fact, this special tool is best used when you have completed the seemingly endless string of tasks that constitute a day on the job. The tool is actually your mind and the task is simple – reflect on the activities of the day and categorize how well things went. The objective is to repeat or improve on those things that went well, and to change your approach to those activities that didn’t fair so well.
This is a no-cost approach to analyzing how well you are doing on the job and to adjust those areas that ultimately will improve your performance and standing in the company.
Some experts say giving five to 10 minutes at the end of the work day to reflect on the day’s activities is an important skill that should not be ignored. This is the time to remember what worked well and store it in your arsenal of things to retrieve at another time. It’s also the time to scrap those decisions that flopped and discard them before they become an annoying habit. Ultimately you benefit from the regular adjustments you make and reduce the number of troublesome hurdles you encounter as a result of your decisions.
One simple exercise is to look at your planning calendar and review how closely your day reflected what you anticipated would happen. Do this at the end of the day when things are less hectic. Ask yourself if what you actually did closely mirrors what you planned for the day. If not, then determine what is needed to make it happen. Consider the people you dealt with and how things went with them. This is the time to put things under a mental microscope and determine if you plan to repeat a particular activity or change it, and why it should or should not be repeated.
Also ask yourself is there is anyone on staff with whom you need to speak, to keep him or her up to date on projects on which you’re working. Remember, it is important to retain and foster the positive relationships you’ve built up, as well as establish new ones. It takes little time to write a quick e-mail to keep the lines of communications open so co-workers and supervisor area aware of your activities.
In these instances a little bit goes a long way to produce positive results for you personally as well as the company.
Produce positive results in your career by bringing your résumé to a Bayside Solutions recruiter. We can help you contact some of the mover and shakers at some of the Bay Area’s finest employers. Give us a call today!
