Talented Teams Consulting

HR professionals wear a lot of hats. The fact is, we’re not just HR professionals. We’re also problem solvers, managers, leaders, and more. But sometimes, it can be hard to find time for all those hats when you have so much on your plate. I’m a big believer in being intentional about your time. In this blog post, I’m going to share some ideas for how you can be more strategic in how you spend your time as an HR professional—and hopefully help you find some balance in all those hats.

Here are five mistakes you should avoid when navigating your HR career:

Accepting "the way it's always been done."

Simply going with the flow is a slippery slope. If we aren't constantly challenging the status quo and asking why things are done a certain way, then we run the risk of making assumptions based on outdated information and outdated practices. A key ingredient in innovation is questioning everything around us, including how things have always been done. We tend to be creatures of habit, and that includes the way we approach our work. As long as the status quo remains unchallenged, it's easy to fall into the trap of accepting things as they are without questioning what could be done differently.

We must constantly challenge ourselves to develop new ideas and ways of doing things. Just as it's important to challenge the status quo, it's also important to challenge assumptions about ourselves. By questioning what we believe about ourselves and our world, we can identify the limits of those beliefs and then push past them. This will help us develop new ideas that may not have been possible without challenging our assumptions.

Not building your emotional intelligence.

Emotional intelligence is "the ability to perceive, control and evaluate emotions." It's an important skill for leaders because it helps them understand how their actions may impact others on a personal level. Emotional intelligence can be developed through self-awareness and self-management. Think of it as listening to your gut. It's common for people to reach a point where they feel like their gut is telling them one thing, but the people around them are telling them something else. This can be a source of frustration and confusion for many leaders. However, if you're feeling like this, it's important to listen to your instincts—they usually have a good reason behind them.

Emotional intelligence is a skill that anyone can develop. To be an effective leader, you need to know what makes people tick—not just as individuals but also as a group or team. You have to be able to look at the big picture and see where things are headed before they happen so that you can take action to prevent problems from happening in the first place.

Trying to have all the answers.

It's easy to feel you need to know everything to be a successful leader. However, this is not the case. You don't have all the answers, and other people may have some valuable insight that you can benefit from by listening closely to what they say. You also need to know when to ask for help, and you should be willing to do so. If you are the kind of leader who is always trying to have all the answers, then other people will not feel as comfortable sharing their opinions with you because they don't want to be wrong or look bad.

A good leader is a strong listener who knows how to ask the right questions. You can't learn everything by yourself; you need input from others. In addition, knowing that you don't know everything can help you to avoid making mistakes and taking unnecessary risks. Instead of trying to do everything yourself, delegate tasks when possible so that others can learn from the experience. It is your job as a leader to bring out the best in others, not to have all the answers yourself.

Not setting appropriate boundaries.

Setting boundaries is an important part of being a leader. It helps you to focus on what's important, avoid distractions and stay productive. When you don't set boundaries, it can be easy for others to take advantage of your time or get distracted by small issues that don't really matter in the long run. Leaders who don't set boundaries can find themselves burned out and unable to focus on what's important. Properly setting boundaries is one way to avoid this problem.

For example, trying your best NOT to work through your lunch break is a boundary that can help you to avoid burnout. If your coworkers make a habit of asking you for help with small things during lunch, try explaining that you need some time away from work to recharge but that you'll help them as soon as you get back from lunch. It's also important to set boundaries with your time, as well as with other people. This can be difficult if you have a lot going on in your life and a lot of responsibilities, but it's still important to do so.

Trying to do everything by yourself.

Being superwoman or superman can put you under a lot of stress. As an HR Department of One, it’s important to recognize when you need help from others and ask for it. Be sure to set aside time each day to talk with your employees about any issues that are affecting them so that they feel comfortable coming to you if there is a problem.

You might feel like you have to do everything yourself, but it's important to let other people help. If you're trying to do everything yourself, try delegating tasks to others or hiring a freelancer for specific projects when needed. Avoiding or procrastinating on difficult tasks often results in feeling overwhelmed with a never-ending to-do list. It's easy to put off doing something that you know will be difficult. However, this can make things worse in the long run because it will just create more stress for yourself.

Try breaking projects down into smaller steps and tackling them one by one. It's important to take the time to properly prioritize tasks, so that you don't feel overwhelmed. If you have a lot of things going on at once, try breaking them down into smaller tasks and putting them on separate lists.

Putting it all together...

Each of these mistakes or challenges can be easily overcome by being intentional with the way you spend your days and plan your time. You can start by prioritizing all the tasks that need to be done and organizing them in order of importance. Next, block off time for each task on your calendar, so you know when it needs to be completed. This will also help you plan out your week so that you're not overwhelmed by everything you want to do!

At Talented Teams Consulting, we work with busy HR professionals just like you to give you a bit of a reprieve and to let you know that you are NOT in this alone! If this has resonated with you, share it with an HR friend who could use this as well.