No matter the industry, there is something most people experience at work at least once: a slow day. While most people probably don’t have slow days on a regular basis, it’s still a good idea to prepare for when one ultimately pops up. Rather than thinking of a slow day as a waste, consider it an opportunity to get ahead of the game.
Here are nine things you can do on a slow day at work in order to set yourself up for success in the future.
Organize.
Use the extra time on a slow day to organize your files or other materials. Eliminate clutter from your workspace as well as your email inbox. Putting things in order will help you in the long run. When you are more organized you are able to make decisions faster and solve problems more quickly.
Think about your performance.
What have you accomplished at your job? Many people are busy or rush through their workdays, unable to stop and take stock of their accomplishments on the job. Knowing your accomplishments is helpful during performance reviews, but it is also great for setting future professional goals and being prepared for when a promotion becomes available.
Plan your week.
Use the extra time on a slow day to plan out your next week. You can identify important tasks or projects that need to be complete or budget time for necessary meetings. You can also use this time to plan what you’ll do on your next slow day.
Set goals.
Take a moment during your slow day to ask yourself, “Where do I want to be in the future? Think about your personal and professional goals. By clearly defining your goals, you can better plan out the next year of your career. You can share these goals with a trusted manager that can help set you on a path for growth. Evaluate your current situation, think about where you want to be, and start setting goals that will keep you on that path.
Innovate.
Spend some time thinking about new processes, products or services that your company could offer, or think about how current operations could be improved. Draft up your ideas and share them with relevant parties.
Evaluate your day-to-day.
A slow day is a good opportunity for thinking about how you spend your normal workdays. Do you have any processes that could be improved? Consider how you spend your time on a daily basis. Are you efficient? Look at the previous month’s meetings and projects. Did you spend too much time on one specific item? Go through your daily schedule and make adjustments to improve your efficiency.
Educate yourself.
Improve your professional skills and learn something new. Watch a webinar, read industry blogs and books, or connect with your peers online and share insights.
Volunteer your time.
If you know another department, team or co-worker could use help on a project, volunteer some of your time to help them on your slow day. You’ll be able to network with new company in the company and may have the opportunity to learn new skills.
Work ahead.
Use a slow day to get a head start on upcoming projects or work through other items on your to-do list. Re-prioritize your list of tasks and start tackling those with the highest priority. You can get a head start on the next day of work, or do prep work for projects that are further ahead in the future. You may also be able to accomplish a few personal tasks as well, if you have coverage at work.
If you are looking to hire an IT, Accounting, or Finance professional, or work in any of those fields and looking to advance your career, you can contact Equis Staffing via email at info@equisdifference.com or give us a call at (818) 444-0100.
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