It’s 2020, which means that it is not only a New Year, but a new decade as well! Since the festivities are over, it means that it is now time to return to work. However, since it is a new year, it means that it is a time to start fresh. Here are some New Year’s resolutions which employees, and even the self-employed, can live out for the year ahead.

Leave the House Earlier

Traffic is a good reason to leave the house earlier

One thing that you, dear employees, can start doing for the coming year is to leave the house earlier. For example, if you leave at 6:30 to get to work by 9, then you can leave the house at 6 so you can arrive earlier. This is a very useful resolution, especially with our traffic situation. For commuters, it is very helpful to leave the house earlier to avoid rush hour, especially since the LRT-2 is undergoing repairs. On the other hand, if you run your own business, leaving earlier is still a good idea since you can show a good example to your employees, for a good boss arrives first, and is the last to leave. As a result, leaving earlier not only ensures that you beat the traffic, but it shows your commitment to your work as well.

Minimize Sleeping on the Job

Try not to sleep on the job

Unless you are working in Japan, where a tired employee is a hard worker, try not to sleep during your shift. This is because sleeping on the job presents an unprofessional image, or in certain jobs, like driving a land vehicle, causes danger to others. So, for this year, try to minimize the number of times you fall asleep during your shift. After all, you have your lunch break to catch a nap in.

NOTE: In cases of emergency, like coming back from a bereavement leave, or doing sudden overtime, it may be fine to catch up on sleep during your shift, depending on company policy. However, as much as possible, try to stay awake during your shift, especially if the employee manual does not allow sleeping at work.

Cut Down on Social Media Use During Your Shift

Unless your work involves social media, try to cut down on it

For the coming year, another practical New Year’s Resolution you can pursue is to try to reduce your social media usage on the job. The occasional check wouldn’t hurt, but being too fixated on memes would eat into your productivity. Also, the toxicity present in social media can reduce your enthusiasm for work. However, this does not apply if your work involves social media, like being a social media manager for instance. In case your work involves social media, remember to only use social media for work, and not to share memes.

Be More Willing to Help

Be more open to volunteer

Another thing you can do as an employee this coming year is to be more willing to help out in the office, since you are there to help your company succeed, and the company is there to help you support yourself. Also, this will help you earn the respect of your co-workers. For the self-employed, especially for freelancers, volunteering to help anyone out will not only reflect well on you, but will also allow you to attract more clients. As a result, going beyond the call of duty is a simple, yet helpful, New Year’s Resolution.

Give It Your All

New Year means new opportunities to excel

In the end, the most important New Year’s Resolution would be to give your best in what you do, since after all, you are not competing against anyone but yourself. For employees, this means that you have to be a better employee, while for a entrepreneur or freelancer, this means that you have to strive to be better in making your business succeed. After all, having another year in your life means having another opportunity to be better than you were before!