Take a Minute, Interview Yourself About What You Want

For most administrative professionals, making decisions is just another part of the workday. Whether you are deciding how to prioritize your task list or determining the best way to complete a project, you make decisions on a regular basis. Unfortunately, many administrative professionals focus on making decisions to help others instead of taking time to advance their careers or improve their personal lives. The beginning of the year is the perfect time for self reflection, so take a few minutes to interview yourself about what you really want in life.

Some people avoid making decisions because it leaves them feeling paralyzed. If you want to advance your career, it is important to take time for self reflection so that you can focus on your goals and aspirations. Set aside some time when no one will interrupt you. Ideally, interview yourself at home so that you do not have to worry about finishing work tasks. If you have to conduct the interview at work, find an empty conference room to use for fifteen or twenty minutes. You may be tempted to type your answers on a tablet or computer, but stick to using paper and a pencil. Using one of your devices might interrupt your flow and distract you from the task at hand.

Your goal should be to get to know who you really are. To get the best results, prepare several questions ahead of time. Great questions will help you be more reflective, so do not rush the preparation process. If you have a particular topic in mind, stick to questions on that topic. If you just want to learn more about yourself, think of questions that address several different subjects. Entrepreneur.com contributor Lisa Girard recommends revisiting your childhood if you want to identify your personal or professional passions. Doing so will help you be clear on the things you love to do and identify what you want to avoid as you advance in your administrative career.

Making decisions is especially difficult if you are uncertain about what you want. Think about where you want to be in one, five, or ten years. Make a list of the professional skills and personal attributes of someone you admire. Ask yourself how you can be more like the person you want to emulate. Think about past personal and professional experiences to determine which ones made you happy and which ones made you unhappy. Come up with several ways to avoid the unhappy situations and some approaches to create more opportunities to participate in things you enjoy.

If you need help making decisions, interviewing yourself is a great way to determine what you want out of life. To use this tactic effectively, prepare your interview questions beforehand. Make sure you set aside plenty of time to ask yourself important questions and reflect on your answers. Making decisions will be much easier if you complete this process at least once per year.

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