Research Shows a Simple Way to Increase Your Engagement at Work

A recent research study investigated two types of daily planning and how they influence employee engagement in dynamic work environments. The first type is commonly known as time-management planning, which involves making to-do lists, prioritizing and scheduling tasks, and ultimately managing one’s time. The second type of planning is referred to as “contingent planning,” in which people consider the possible disruptions or interruptions they may face in their work day and devise a plan to address them if they occur. It’s important to understand these two critical types of planning and when to utilize them in your day-to-day work life. Before you start your work day, set aside a few minutes to plan your upcoming day. Consider what type of day you anticipate and whether you expect to be interrupted and how frequently. What can you do to create boundaries around your time and have fewer interruptions? If you anticipate few to no interruptions, then engage in time management planning by setting an ambitious to-do list in which you prioritize your tasks and allocate your time and energy to them based on their priority. If you expect to be interrupted frequently, then engage in contingent planning where you outline a realistic number of tasks you can complete that day while also taking time to consider how you might be interrupted, and what you will do if such interruptions occur. These simple tweaks to your work day can help you take control of your own engagement levels at work.