The new year has arrived, and many, many people have begun their annual tradition of setting New Year’s resolutions.

A very popular resolution that is made is to lose weight and get in shape.  I see this play out every single January.

I try to work out regularly at the local YMCA. In December (and pretty much every other month), finding an open treadmill, elliptical or exercise bike is no problem.

January, however, is a different story all together.

The workout room is packed pretty much the entire month. The treadmills run (OK, pun intended) seemingly nonstop from the moment the front doors are unlocked until they’re locked up again that night.

Considering as I write this, the wind chill outdoors is nearly -30 degrees F, it’s just one more reason not to like the month of January.

But if history is any guide, by the end of February at the very latest, getting in a good workout at the local Y will be no hassle whatsoever.

Why?

Glad you asked.

During the year, I see many familiar faces when I hit the gym. I know many of them by name. But during the month of January, I see many unfamiliar faces – faces I probably won’t see again until next January (if at all).

It’s safe to say that most New Year’s resolutions are quickly and unceremoniously broken.
Many people also make resolutions when it comes to their professional lives.

I’d like to suggest that you make a resolution to focus on communications in 2014 – both internal and external.

A company can have a team full of top talent, but if it doesn’t communicate effectively, it is a sure recipe for disaster.

And, remember, even if we’re doing a good job in a particular realm – like communications – we can always do better.

As Senior Communications Coordinator at Paperitalo Publications, it is obviously my goal to see that all internal and external communications are as effective and efficient as possible. But as I mentioned above, there is always room to grow and improve. As a company, we strive to listen to our readers and customers. Simply put, we want to hear from you. We want to do our best for our loyal readers and advertisers.

We will be addressing this critical subject in greater detail in the future, but in the meantime, let’s all make a resolution in 2014 to focus on communications. You’ll be glad you did.

Helen Roush is Senior Communications Coordinator at Paperitalo Publications. She can be reached by email at helen.roush@taii.com.