A new year is upon us and of course, we must set our usual resolutions; eat healthier, go to the gym, swear less, sleep more. These goals usually last a whole 31 days before they faze out and we resume our normal, overindulging lifestyle. This year it’s time to start something different, setting resolutions that can be done at work and will benefit your entire life. But what career goals do you set and how do you stick to them?
Here are 20 resolutions that you can easily incorporate into your daily life and make your upcoming working year an even better one:
1. Revamp Your Social Media Profiles
Take a look at your online profiles - are they in line with your professional image? If not, don’t fall into the trap of making well-known social media mistakes, and give your pages a revamp. A study from CareerBuilder revealed that “70 percent of employers now use social media to screen job candidates before hiring them, up from 60 percent a year ago and 11 percent in 2006.” Make sure you only have information that you would want your boss or potential manager - it's time to get rid of those embarrassing Magaluf photos and replace it for something a little more refined.
2. Do Something for YOU Every Day
It’s human nature to get caught up doing things for others that you forget to do something for yourself. 2018 is your year to make a change and do something for yourself every single day. Whether it’s going on a walk every lunch break (or almost every), treating yourself to a Starbucks coffee, or simply taking five minutes at the end of the day to gather your thoughts and unwind. Find that little something that you will look forward to and will make your working day so much better.
3. Give Credit Where It's Due
Are you constantly beating yourself up about what went wrong, rather than reflecting on the amazing job that you or your team did? If so, it’s time to start giving credit when it’s due; whether it’s a pat on your back or a well-done to your employees. It’s mind-blowing how a little bit of recognition can motivate you to strive for success.
4. Be More Positive
Are you one of those people that think the grass is always greener on the other side? If so, it might be time to change your mindset into a more positive one. Be grateful for where you are and the job you have. You’re there because you were really excited about it at one point so find that fire inside your belly and list what’s great about your current situation. You’ll be amazed at the difference once you shift your outlook a little.
5. Learn Something New
Are you struggling to keep up with the new version of Microsoft Word and can’t seem to figure out all the functions in Outlook? Maybe it’s time to learn something new and develop your skills. If it’s something that will enhance your current job, your company may even be willing to pay for it. If not, there are plenty of free or cheap courses online that can spruce up your knowledge. You could also dedicate 15 minutes of your day to read an educational article in your specific field.
6. Make New Connections
Even if you’re not looking for a new job, networking is something you should still be focusing on. Going to networking events and connecting with peers online will help give you creditability and will help you make valuable relationships. You’ll learn new things and will improve your social and professional skills. You could even network with colleagues in your office that work in a separate department outside of the office walls; when you need a favour, they’ll be more inclined to help you if you already have an existing relationship.
7. Improve Your To-Do List
Is your to-do list currently a few scribbles on a post-it note that always happens to disappear? It’s probably time you upped your list and organised your time a little better. You need to find the best method that works for you and is something that you will stick to. Why not move your to-do list online? You can add calendar notes with alerts or download an app on your phone like todoist and any.do which are popular amongst the workplace. If online isn’t your thing, simply buy yourself a diary and create a numbered to-do list at the end of your day, ready to start fresh in the morning.
8. Rethink Your Professional Goals
Having profession goals to work towards can really help you advance at work. Do you want to develop your career and gain a promotion or move into a new career path? Think about what it is you want to do in the new year and set yourself some goals to work towards your target. If you want to start a new career, gain the education that you require and learn what it takes to break through into that field.
9. Build Your Personal Brand
Your personal brand is a reflection of yourself, your experience and the knowledge that you possess. If you don’t have a brand, it’s time to start building one. Use social media platforms to your advantage and create a strong and useful contact for your industry.
10. Quit Complaining
If you’re that nagging nancy that is always complaining about the state of the office kitchen or the fact that Jane’s holiday was approved before yours, or any other irrelevant topic, it’s probably time to quit complaining. If you’ve not noticed that people are avoiding you like the plague, now is your time to reflect and realise why.
11. Stay out of Office Politics
Office gossiping really won’t get you anywhere in life – so what if Jane and the IT guy got it on at the Christmas bash? From now on, if a colleague tries to engage in a little gossip sesh, give one-word answers that won’t back-fire like “wow” or “ interesting” and follow with an “I’m really busy, I’ll catch up with you later”.
12. Get Your Career in Shape
The start of a new year is the perfect time for a career check. You’d be surprised at how easy it is to fall into a routine of cutting corners, cruising at half speed and losing focus. Make a list of areas that you can improve and find solutions to those problems. Now is your chance to take charge of your career and be more successful within your company.
13. Build Your Relationships
It’s so easy to write a quick IM to John in accounting or shoot a swift e-mail to Greg in IT instead of getting up off your chair and having a face-to-face conversation. These unsociable ways we have succumbed to have taken away the personal touch to form an actual relationship. Wires can get crossed and messages misread so get up and walk those 10 steps to build valuable relationships within the workplace.
14. Eat Healthier at Work
We are all guilty of over-indulging on junk in the workplace; whether it’s a delicious chocolate cheesecake your colleague brought in for their birthday or the doughnuts your supplier kindly sent as a thank you. This year learn to resist temptation and swap the calorific options for healthy snacks that will keep you just as satisfied throughout your working day.
15. Exercise at Work
This one might be a long-shot but if you can’t get yourself to the gym, why not squeeze in some exercise at work? If that’s even a push, you can workout on the clock with simple desk exercises. Your colleagues won’t even realise you’re exercising with some of the routines – result!
16. Get a Raise or a Promotion
If you’ve been in your current role for a while and have hit a bit of a slump, it’s time to talk to your boss and understand what it will take to get a raise or a promotion. Lindsey Pollak, a career expert advises that “when you have specific, tangible, measurable goals they are much more realistic to achieve.”
17. Reduce Stress
If you’re feeling super stressed at work, you need to take a step back and find out where the stress is coming from. You could be putting too much pressure on yourself for no apparent reason. Once you have identified the cause, find ways to eliminate the stress; this could be through a better organisation or more personal time to enjoy activities and unwind outside of work.
18. Improve Your Work-Life Balance
Are you guilty of staying late every day and rushing home with a takeaway in hand because it’s too late to cook? Work–life balance is important, you need to know when to switch off and figure out what you can leave until the next day. If you are a supervisor, delegate your tasks amongst your employees to lighten your workload. That’ll ensure you’re not staying hours later, playing catch-up.
19. Develop Your Communications Skills
If you’re terrible at delivering presentations or interacting with your boss, try taking classes to improve your communication skills. It’ll not only help you within the workplace but will also build up your general confidence.
20. Volunteer More
Volunteering is a great way to feel good about yourself and will also look great on your CV and social media platforms. Find a cause that’s close to your heart and round up your colleagues to help out too.
New year’s resolutions should be exciting and inspiring. Choose a couple that you’ve been putting off for a while and make your 2018 the year to make your mark!
Do you have any other resolutions that aren’t listed above? If so, join in on the conversation below and let us know what they are…
This article first appeared in Career Addict.