Three proven steps for closing out your workday on a positive note.
Whether you are working remotely or at your regular work desk, the following is a wonderful and effective step-by-step plan for closing out your workday on a positive note. This three-step plan is based on a two-and-one-half-year study, “Strategies for Enhancing Performance,” conducted originally by New York Presbyterian Hospital Cornell Medical Center and Bright Enterprises with sponsorship from a number of other companies including GE Medical, United States Tennis Association, Hadassah, NY Hilton, and Bankers Life and Casualty .
In this study over 300 workers were asked, using an experimental/control design, to test skills and tips that served two purposes: 1) enhance performance and 2) help to mitigate the negative effects of stress. The results of the study were sensational.
Here are the three most effective skills for you to try out!
Step One: Do One More Task.
Before you close out your workday, take a moment to do something small like making a quick phone call, signing a particular document, or responding to a simple email. The value of doing one simple task allows you to reaffirm that you are in control of your work and that the work doesn't control you. The other advantage is that you have one less thing to do the next day!
Step Two: Build Your To-Do List the Night Before
If you currently “build to-do lists” you absolutely practice what we found from the research to be one of the most effective skills for enhancing performance and for managing your stress positively. The key thing to remember is to build your “to- do list” at the end of your workday- so you are ready and prepared for the next day.
Step Three: Straighten Up Your Work Area
This doesn’t require a complete overhaul of your desk or work area—it's simply straightening out your papers and putting things away so that when you come back the next day you have a fresh, brand-new energized feeling. If you leave everything out from the day before, chances are great that when you come to work you will likely recall feelings of frustration from the previous day rather than starting off with a fresh perspective of what faces you. So, be sure to straighten up your work area before heading out.
Another advantage of straightening up your work area is that if any additional task-related thoughts come to mind that you overlooked earlier, you can easily incorporate them into your “to do list.”
Now when you leave work whether to go exercise, join up with friends or family members, you’ll have a sense of greater control of what’s to come for the next day. Stress is reduced because you no longer have thoughts about what you need to be doing the next day rumbling through your mind. As a result, you will also find yourself enjoying your evenings more. And believe it or not, you’ll find yourself starting your mornings off raring to go as you experience a new sense of control!
No kidding these steps really work - so, give them a try.
