Returning to our routine after the holidays, and all of 2020 for that matter, can feel a bit like walking through a snow globe.

At this point, the dust swirled up by a fury of new year’s resolution activities has settled. And even though 2020 is (finally) in our rear-view mirror, it’s natural to feel a little blurry-eyed looking forward to 2021.

Frankly, we’re due for a reset whenever we walk through challenging times, whether it be a global pandemic or work overload. So, with one final headshake, let’s reset and consider how we can all bring our best to work this year and beyond.

Our team at Clear Concept has been pursuing the answer to this question for the last two decades and have found three key drivers help us show up at our best, regardless of what is swirling around us.

  1. Productivity

Investing in better work habits is always helpful. The more you can streamline your work, the bigger your impact.

Three crucial steps will help you manage your time like a productivity guru in 2021:

  • Identify three core priorities and concentrate your focus, while resisting the temptation to delve into other projects
  • Protect time for these priorities before other activities get in your way
  • Create a plan to avoid getting bogged down by the unknowns and unexpected, and find opportunities to streamline, scale back and seek help
  1. Collaboration

Working with others is the best way to generate innovative thinking and make meaningful progress on important goals. Cultivate a high-performance team around you, including a wide range of champions, challengers and collaborators. Don’t limit yourself to direct reports. Get inspired by and partner with others across your team, organization, industry and beyond. Find opportunities to delegate and develop others by building on their strengths. Find common goals and celebrate shared wins.

“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” – African Proverb

  1. Mindset

Mindset is the ultimate driver of success. The world’s most successful people tap into the power of their mind to perform at their best. This power is available to all of us when we’re ready to claim it. Adopting a thrive mindset is a trainable skill. Invest in your resiliency, reframe limiting beliefs, and overcome the default negativity bias lingering in all of us. Find a compelling purpose in all you do so you can thrive when it matters most.

Subtle shifts lead to remarkable results

If work, and life, feels daunting, focus on easy wins. Bringing our best to work doesn’t require massive shifts. Ironically, incremental daily gains are more likely to lead to stunning results. Taking small steps toward our goals is the best way to achieve success. Small steps create critical early momentum and feel more achievable.

And don’t forget, there are many opportunities for us to pause and reflect throughout the year. The first of the year is an obvious time but the new year is not our only chance for self-improvement. You can decide to make a change at any time – and even multiple times – throughout the year. You can use the beginning of each month, a new season or your birthday as milestone opportunities for change. Author Daniel Pink shares 86 reflection days that are especially effective for making a fresh start. By adopting this approach, we keep ourselves focused on all that we can achieve rather than dwelling on what we haven’t yet accomplished.

I hope this inspires you to shake off 2020 and move into the new year with a fresh plan: invest in your work habits, prioritize collaboration, and train your brain to thrive.

For more inspiration on all of these topics, visit our workshops page to view video summaries of our programs or contact us. All of our programs are available as interactive, virtual workshops, via webinar, and we also have on-demand, online courses. We’d love to help you do your best work. The world needs your best now more than ever.