Musing on how to be a good boss can boost work efficiency

Want to be effective at work? Start your day by thinking about what kind of leader you want to be, even if you're not the boss, suggests a new study.

"It's as simple as taking a few moments in the morning while you're drinking your coffee to reflect on who you want to be as a leader," said Remy Jennings, a doctoral student in the University of Florida's Warrington College of Business.

Whether you're the boss or on your way up the ladder, "this is a tool to be more effective at work", said Klodiana Lanaj, management professor at the varsity.

"Just a few minutes can entirely change your focus for the rest of your day," Lanaj added.

Early morning thoughts on being a leader led study participants to help their co-workers and provide strategic vision than on days they did not do the morning reflection.

They also felt more leaderlike on those days, perceiving more power and influence in the office, revealed the study published in the journal Personnel Psychology.

"Leadership is really challenging, so a lot of people are hesitant to tackle leadership roles or assignments," Lanaj said.

"Reflecting a few minutes in the morning really makes a difference,"Lanaj added.

And unlike being given extra responsibility or leading a team project, a morning reflection is under the employee's control.

"They're not dependent on their organisation to provide formal opportunities. They don't have to wait until they have that title that says they're a leader to take on leadership in their work," Jennings said.