Lynsi Oster, JD, MBA

Collaboration looks like team members working in a psychology safe environment where their contributions are valued and their thoughts and ideas flow freely and create the perfect amount of pressure in the system. Without this balance of ideas from diverse thinkers, you can achieve outcomes, but with the collaboration of diverse thinkers, the outcomes achieved will be more refined, and likely more successful.

If your team operates with clear roles and responsibilities, dividing objectives into milestones helps each team member understand the timeline for achieving each critical component of the objectives success. Laying out milestones aides in resource planning on the front end, and progress checking while the initiative is in flight and before there are any measurable metrics that can be reported out. Milestones also help some employees gain a better understanding of the "roadmap" of achieving the objective.

I've never worked in an environment where priorities are not in conflict. While not usually conflicting within my team, we face conflicts with other departments within HR, with other departments outside of HR, because of limited resources, because of limited budgets, etc. Having a diverse team makes it critical that you define roles and responsibilities within the team first. Then set goals (specific outcomes and measurable outcomes). Aligning the team on "why" the specific outcomes selected are important and the value that they will achieve for the organization. Then, get out of the way. Track milestones, track metrics that you can along the way to measure success, and adjust as necessary if business circumstances warrant it.

I agree with @Lorna Hagen here. I would only add that if you are following this methodology it is important that the "Specific" be a Specific Outcome vs. a specific task. Too many times I see Specifc goals that outline tasks rather than the actual overall outcome. It's also helpful if your team members feel empowered to prioritize these outcomes as business needs change. So, if the Specific Outcome set is no longer important (or less important than another Specific Outcome and you have limited resources) then you have the ability to change course and delete (or delay) the original Outcome until the new, more important Outcome is achieved.

Movement is medicine. It can cure a whole host of issues from brain fog, writer's block, and even the urge to make a career ending move when a colleague rubs you the wrong way! Take a walk, stretch, or even do a little dance to get you blood pumping, your energy levels back up and restore your dopamine/endorphin levels!

Setting boundaries isn't always about clear start and end times for your workday, though that can be beneficial. Many times setting boundaries during the workday is the most effective way to prevent working long hours. Interruptions throughout the workday result in extra time spent trying to reorient and refocus on the priorities you planned to work on. Time blocking can help, but only if you exercise self discipline in keeping those commitments to yourself. Turning your OOO message on, setting your status as "busy" and setting expectations with colleagues about how to get time with you and when interruptions are appropriate vs. scheduling time.