When it comes to New Year’s, the same three resolutions top most people’s lists: lose weight, stop smoking and get out of debt. If you really want to think outside of the box and come up with a New Year’s resolution that you are more likely to stick to while still bringing a positive change to your life, however, you might want to consider working on your work ethic.

Focusing your New Year’s resolution on improving your work ethic is a great way to improve your overall job performance while also increasing your self-esteem. Even better, it is generally easier to stick to this New Year’s resolution than it is to stick to a strict diet plan. Here are a few mini-New Year’s resolutions you can make in order to make your overall goal of improving your work ethic a reality:

· Get to work on time – showing up late on a regular basis is the best way to make a bad impression upon your supervisors and your co-workers
· Be respectful – treating everyone from supervisors to co-workers with respect will help you get respect back
· Dress appropriately – remember the old saying: “Dress for the job you want.”
· Take initiative – if you see a job that needs to be done, take care of it before you are asked
· Maintain control – when in a disagreement with someone, never lose control and raise your voice
· Respect privacy – don’t eavesdrop or become a part of the rumor mill
· Pay attention – don’t read things, doodle or fall asleep during meetings, no matter how boring they may be
· Give credit where credit is due – be complimentary to those who do a good job and be sure to share credit with those who helped you achieve certain goals or finish certain projects
· Accept criticism – make a change rather than get offended by criticism
· Realize your mistakes – admit to your mistakes and make apologies for what you have done
If you make these mini-New Year’s resolutions, you will soon find it easy to achieve your ultimate New Year’s resolution of improving your work ethic. As a result, you will be much happier in the workplace and more opportunities will arise.