5 Things To Do Before You Leave the Office

Do you leave the office in a frenzy?

How you finish the workday is SO important.

It sets your mood for the rest of your evening; it impacts your personal relationships, your overall satisfaction, and your quality of sleep.

Plus, it sets the stage for the next time you're in the office.

Perhaps you spend the last 10 minutes of your workday reviewing your calendar for the next work day. Great.

Or, maybe you sprint to the end, burying yourself in work until the very last minute -- then you grab your stuff and run for the door without saying goodbye to your colleagues.
Review your end-of-the-day routine, especially before a holiday vacation.

Try one of these '5 Things To Do Before You Leave the Office' because you're ready to be better:

1. Stay focused.
One of my mentors early in my career gave me some great advice, "When you're at work, work!" Brilliant, don't you think? Keep from getting distracted or caught up in non-work related activities at the very end of the day.

One study by psychologist Gloria Marks shows that people get interrupted at work every 11 minutes. Use a countdown timer (like e.ggtimer.com) to expand the amount of time you work on one thing. Report back how your productivity is impacted.

2. Prioritize 'urgent' communications.
It never ends... the communications keep flowing; some urgent and some not -- and all at the last minute. This is when your management skills are put to the test.

Successful people decide what requires a response and what can wait. Defer long, sensitive conversations until you and your colleague are at your best and won't be interrupted.

3. Review what you achieved.
In addition to focusing on what you still need to do, it's important to look back on what you've done. Reviewing what you achieved gives you a sense of accomplishment. On particularly trying days, it reminds you that you got more done than you realized.

Successful people not only think about the projects they've handled that day; they try to analyze when and why things went right and wrong. Savvy professionals know that they learn and grow from these reviews.

4. Determine your 3 MIT's for tomorrow.
Successful people have a list of items ready for the morning that they've identify their primary objectives.

Decide before you leave the office at night. The more you get clear before you leave, the better chance you'll have at getting to your Most Important Things. (MIT's)

5. Say "Thank you."
Great leaders have a gratitude plan. Look for people doing great work throughout your day and say, "Thank you." Yes, it's that easy.

Gratitude works in both directions; you connect to your core values, and your team feels acknowledged for their efforts. Great leaders build a work culture that people want to be part of.

Yours in momentum,

Jason