6 Powerful Ways to Develop New Positive Work Habits

by Tony Colangelo

March 19, 2024

The Benefits of Developing New Habits:

As an executive & career coach, my clients frequently ask me to provide simple and quick ways to enhance their performance and career success. I coach them to reflect on their current routine and think of a few small but impactful new habits they could implement to increase their impact. When you make these minor behavioral improvements habitual, you accomplish them with little effort and further benefit by conserving brain power for strategic thinking. Consider the positive effect on your productivity if you adopt one new habit, such as working on your most critical project during the first two hours of your day when your mind is fresh and you have the most energy. This new habit could significantly increase your efficiency & effectiveness to help you achieve your longer-term goals.?

The European Journal of Social Psychology found that, on average, it only takes 66 days for a new behavior to become automatic.

While developing new positive habits, it is essential to review your current routines to weed out low-impact habits. Studies show that the average person spends a significant portion of their day on low-impact habits that steal energy and cloud strategic focus. These low-impact routines include activities such as clearing your email inbox first thing in the morning versus working on your highest priorities. We have all learned that we "can't manage time; however, we can manage our energy and the use of our time." Small, impactful habits help us maximize the limited time we have in our day to focus on high-value strategic work. Remember, with focus, dedication, and consistency over time, you can successfully integrate productive new habits into your daily routine with minimal effort.

Six Powerful Ways to Develop & Implement New Positive Work Habits:

1. Identify a Few Small but Highly Impactful Habits To Begin -?Focus on developing a few new habits at a time to help you reach your performance improvement goals. Small, consistent changes to your routine are more sustainable than trying to change your routine too dramatically, which can be overwhelming and lead you to abandon your plan. Start by reviewing your goal plan and how you can gradually incorporate new habits that support and enable you to reach your stated goals more effectively. Some high-impact areas to seed new habits include energy management & prioritization and skills development. Specific examples include scheduling dedicated time daily to read up on key developments in your industry or simply regularly booking time to think strategically about your most critical project.

2. Developing Achievable Habits Creates Momentum -??A common barrier to developing new habits is setting the "new habit bar" too high; for example, if you have never been a runner before, and your ultimate goal is to run a marathon, you would not start by running 26 miles a day. Instead, you would begin with a less ambitious daily routine, such as a slow jog around a few neighborhood blocks. Consistency in implementing your new habit is also crucial to building momentum, as once you have added the new habit to your routine, it becomes easier to repeat as the days and weeks progress.?

3. Track Progress and Reward Success -?To increase your long-term success, a best practice is to share your new habit goals with a mentor or professional executive coach to help keep you accountable. Having someone to check in with and support your efforts makes it much easier to stick to your new habit. Also, ensure you celebrate your progress and small victories along the way. Rewarding yourself for staying on track with your new routine reinforces positive behavior and makes you much more likely to continue. The cornerstone to your success will be your commitment to keeping a sustainable pace and getting back on track when you encounter obstacles to your new routine. Build resilience by developing a never-give-up attitude, and remember that minor setbacks are just stepping stones to success in your pursuit of forming new positive habits.

"Successful people are simply those with successful habits." - Brian Tracy

?4. Visualize the Benefits You Will Gain From Your New Habits -?Visualizing the appearance and feeling of your success after developing a new routine is a powerful catalyst for change. Envision the sense of control you will attain as your new habit increases your productivity with less stress and increased mindfulness. This visualization exercise will motivate and inspire you to put in the sustained effort to make your new routine a reality.?

5. Add Supportive Activities Into Your New Routines -?For example, if your new habit is to begin your day working on your most significant project, add the supportive habit of rewarding yourself with a short walk outside to re-invigorate yourself after accomplishing your task. This approach helps you create sustainable new routines by rewarding your hard work with an enjoyable activity.

6. Incorporate Habit Development Into Your Quarterly & Annual Goal Planning -?We know that setting ambitious SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-Bound) is critical to our career success. However, the key to reaching these stretch goals is accomplishing all the small steps along the way, and our daily habits are the fuel to help us achieve these critical steps, leading us to attain our lofty goals.

Summary:

Leveraging these strategies to implement new positive habits into your daily routine will significantly improve your performance, productivity, and goal attainment. It also provides structure and stability, reducing stress and increasing your sense of purpose and career satisfaction. Remember, with perseverance, you can make these small but impactful changes to reach your full potential.

Tony Colangelo?is a Certified Executive Coach and Founder of eXecutive Factor Coaching. Tony is also a Speaker and?Author of the Blog Series "Leadership Lessons I Wish I Learned When I Was Younger."?Tony has over 30 years of experience in Leadership roles in the management consulting and information technology industries.

Contact Tony Colangelo at?[email protected] ?for a free consultation on helping you achieve your career goals.

This article is Leadership Lesson # 13?from Tony's Blog Series "Leadership Lessons I Wish I Learned When I Was Younger."

Copyright ? 2024 eXecutive Factor Coaching Inc.