15 Tiny Habits To Kick Off Your New Year

Written by: Rebecca Del Secco, PHR

If you’re anything like me, you kick off your New Year with all the lofty resolutions you can think of. In theory, it’s a great way to be intentional about your future. My problem in checking off those resolutions (and maybe yours, too) is twofold.

First, I set completely unreasonable goals for myself, forgetting the intricacies of my life and the unexpected obstacles that I may face. Second, as I fail to meet my goals, the negative self-talk starts further preventing me from reaching them.?

So this year, I’m using a new strategy and I encourage you to do it with me!?

Rather than focusing on those big lofty goals, start by establishing larger intentions and building them into behavior through smaller habits. Basically plant little positivity seeds and let them grow.?

You can do this in your personal and professional life. Since company culture and employee well being are at the top of my mind, I’ve created a list of 15 tiny habits you can implement for yourself (and encourage your employees to do the same). These are small but mighty ways to create a civil, inclusive culture in your teams.?

Intention #1 - Live the company core values?

Core values are the crux of behavior in any organization (and if they aren’t they should be). Try these five tactics for incorporating core values into your daily routine and see if other employees follow suit:?

1. Add a core value at the top of each meeting agenda.?
2. Put your favorite core value in your Zoom name each day.?
3. Ask one person on the team each week how they lived a core value.?
4. Use one core value in a sentence every week.
5. Write down a core value you’d like to give attention to on a sticky note each week and attach it to your monitor.?

For more around core values, check out our list of 30 ways to ingrain core values into your organization. ?

Intention #2 - Build positive relationships

Positive relationships are a key factor in company culture and in successful leadership. Building connection can come from small acts like:

1. Provide one full compliment a week to an employee.?
2. Each month pick one employee to have a one-on-one lunch with (in-person/virtually).
3. Think of one relationship building question to ask in every meeting.
4. Spend 5 minutes before each Monday meeting discussing the weekend.
5. ?Say hello to each employee you see walking down the hall.

Intention #3 - Celebrate the little things

In a challenging business landscape it can be easy to forget about all the things you and your team accomplish along the way. After a small win you and your employees can:

1. ?Give yourself a high five (or air five someone else).
2. ?Throw imaginary (or real!) confetti.?
3. ?Play the song Celebration! By Kool & The Gang.
4. ?Say “good job” to yourself outloud.?
5. ?Imagine yourself in your happy place (for me it’s on the sands of the Amalfi Coast).?

These are just a few of the many ways you can start creating positive habits that bleed into your teams and the organization as a whole. All of these small things will add up, and you can keep adding to your list as habits form and become second nature.?

Remember, think tiny!?