How to Have a Great Day at Work

Having a great day at work is defined by the effectiveness of your efforts and the quality of your relationships. Here's one tip to improve each area:

Take a moment at the start of each day to write down the key priority (just one!) for you that day. Your to-do list is long, but it's not all equally important. Reflect on the action that will have the most outsized impact on your success today, and work towards that. You'll never get to the bottom of your pile, so focus on the one objective that is the most important, not just the most urgent.

Writing it down in a place you will see throughout the day (a Moleskine page is my preference) helps pull your priority back to the key task.

Avoid the fundamental attribution error. The fundamental attribution error is the human tendency to assign our shortcomings to difficult circumstances, and others' shortcomings to deficient character.

For instance, if I speed on the highway, it's because I'm moving with the flow of traffic; when I see someone else else speed on the highway, it's because they're a reckless maniac. So be gracious with the mistakes and shortcomings of your colleagues and resist translating their behavior into a character assessment.

And if you're a manager tasked with shaping the behavior of your team, focus your feedback on the observable behavior, and not on your assumption of their intent or your interpretation of their character.

Good days at work don't happen by accident. You need to have a sense of progress on key tasks, surrounded by people you appreciate and respect. Staying focused on the key priority and avoiding the fundamental attribution error will help.

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At Trellis Group, we believe chaos is the enemy of the small business. It's our mission to partner with small business owners and their teams to develop the managerial practices and processes to crush chaos. Revenues go up, anxiety goes down, and work becomes a force multiplier for good in the lives of your people. Reach out to discover how the Trellis Group can help you crush chaos.