In a highly competitive setting, it can be stressful to try to get ahead when you are new to the team and everybody else seems like they are seasoned pros.
Here’s where you can take a few tips from team sport tactical play to get you noticed. What’s more, like exercising, if you use these approaches often enough, it is like training your muscle memory to acquire good habits for the better you at work!
Tip 1: Visualise the Goal and Game Plan it
When you are first assigned a task, establish what’s the desired outcome then plot out how much time you need to achieve it.
Working backwards helps you to set up a strategic approach, timeline and reasonable workflow schedule. You can even plan and establish each critical phase and who to turn to for input along the way.
Once you’ve established a framework, discuss this with your supervisor and ask for input to better realise the goal. With the feedback given, you can calibrate and set your plan in motion. It is also easier to focus on achieving the outcome if you have a strategy and the necessary approaches in place.
Over a period, you can even shave precious time off a task leaving you more space to enhance what you do again.
Tip 2: Drill and Practice
Ever noticed how there are specific roles for each player? What is your role in the department and how can you value add as a team player? In team sports, every player has a vital part, and the team relies on each player to excel in a role.
Similarly at work, you can think about how to enhance workflow and shortening processing time. For instance, if you utilise a software or application regularly for work deliverables, use your spare time to do drills so you can explore how to apply new ways to do things. Find out how to apply templates, insights, functions or shortcuts.
By always being open to upgrading your skills and knowledge, you are also growing your professional confidence.
Tip 3: Breaks are Important
All athletes know that besides training hard, you need to take breaks. Recover, regroup and reframe. If the task you have been on seems endless and hard, step away for a while.
A quick five-minute break can make a huge difference. A solution can sometimes come to you easily once you stop stressing over the problem. In fact, a study by Korpela, Kinnunen, Geurts, de Bloom and Sianoja (2016, The Wellbeing Thesis, University of Derby) found that taking lunchtime breaks and detaching from work increases levels of energy at work and decreases exhaustion. The study also found that over a year, this increased vigour and energy levels over time.
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