Get ahead of your deadlines. It might help you work more creatively, according to the authors of a new book Wired to Create.
Psychologist Scott Barry Kaufman and health and science writer Carolyn Gregoire point to research that shows that those who admit to being motivated by deadlines show less potential for creativity than those whose motivations lie outside of deadlines.
Thus, taking pleasure in the process itself as opposed to focusing on the end results of a project might reap the most creative results, suggests a review of the book in New York Magazine’s Science of Us blog. Something to keep in mind considering January also happens to be International Creativity Month.
Get a leg up. If you have a goal to advance your career this year, don’t wait for a promotion. By preparing yourself now, you can better position yourself for career growth in the future, advises career coach Cheryl Palmer.
“Bosses are busy, and they don’t always have your career development and advancement in mind,” Palmer wrote in an article for ASAE’s Association CareerHQ. “That’s why you need to be thinking about where you want to go next and how to get there.”
She shared five tips for prepping yourself to take the leap, including explicitly demonstrating your contribution to your organization’s bottom line, advancing your skills via professional development, and seeking out opportunities to be involved in a leadership capacity. Participating in a organizationwide committee, for example, can help expose you and your strengths to management and people outside your department.
What are your tips for getting the new year off to a productive start?
Katie Bascuas
January 7, 2016