Editor’s Note:  This is another in a series of articles of informative topics specifically for facility management professionals.  This article, however, is one every chapter member should read and weigh.  The articles, entitled Vice President Practices, are prepared by Joyce Strait, vice president, Central Ohio IFMA Chapter.

“We will open the book.  Its pages are blank.  We are going to put words on them ourselves.  The book is called opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day.”—Edith Lovejoy Pierce—(English poet)

As we know, this is the time of year we clean out the old and consider the new year for resolutions.  What exactly is a new year's resolution?   It is considered to be a commitment that an individual makes to one or more lasting personal goals, projects, or reforming of a habit?

This might be something like “improve deleting e-mails,” or “file more paper documents.”

To reflect upon self-improvement annually, it is not enough to say “improve.”   To establish a goal one must have a place to start with concrete examples to measure, such as “delete 16 e-mails” once a week on Tuesdays or “file 12 paper documents” on Wednesday afternoon at 4:30.

Facility mangers are responsible for leadership of a company business unit.  They can start the year by drawing a “line in the sand”—This is what we are going to do and this is when we will do it.

Goals can be thought of in different ways.  One is SMART goals - Specific, Measurable, Realist and Achievable.

Be specific because you know your business.  An example may be ideas (maintenance schedule for HVAC) into specific measurable targets (monthly inspections) leading to early economical maintenance repairs (achievable budget goals).  You make a difference by managing a specific function in your company.

Another way to work a goal is backwards from goals to milestones to tasks.

Suppose “launch a facility management blog” was on the top of your to-do list.  Just listing it this way will probably not get it started.  Break down work into smaller and smaller tasks that can be accomplished in a few hours. This could be “sketch a wireframe outline introduction for a blog video.”  Break down work into 60-90 minute intervals.

After any work for 60-90-minute intervals take a break. Walk, look outside, eat a snack, or anything to recharge.

Time management is not about time but about you. Enjoy!

Only set approximately three goals early in the new year by using the Backward or SMART method. This is enough for annual work direction or self improvement. “Bonne chance” (luck) for the new year!

“Another fresh new year is here...Another year to live!  To banish worry, doubt, and fear, To love and laugh and give! This bright new year is given me To live each day with zest...To daily grow and try to be My highest and my best!  I have the opportunity, once more to right some wrongs, To pray for peace, to plant a tree, And sing more joyful songs!”—William Arthur Ward (American scholar, author, editor, pastor, teacher)

• Darlene Achee, capital resource manager, Lifeline of Ohio.
• Victor Hoffman, business development manager, EPS security.
• Joseph Karl, maintenance director, Elford Development.