As many of us take a well-earned break to kick off the new year, thoughts will turn to finalising those new year resolutions to guide our personal lives: eat healthier, lose weight, get fit and find more “me time”.
As your return to work draws closer, there is a good chance you will also be thinking about what you want to achieve in your career over the next 12 months — what to do more of and perhaps even what to do less of.
For many, developing robust NY work resolutions can be harder than playing darts with spaghetti.
Yet sticking to some well-considered resolutions can help position you for a much-needed career hot streak.
As a solid starting point, think carefully about building a NY resolution around your self care.
This involves taking breaks during the workday, developing an effective support network and perhaps even establishing some form of exercise regime. The aim is to boost your mental strength, which will promote your effectiveness in the workplace and make you less susceptible to stress, anxiety and related conditions.
Engaging in self care will also position you better to take on other new challenges.
Spend some time revamping your social media profiles to highlight your very best professional attributes, remembering that current and future employers often turn to social media to learn more about job candidates. And if you feel you have been a little negative in the workplace in recent times, use 2021 to turn that situation and your mindset around.
Give credit to your colleagues for the work they do, get to know co-workers who you have perhaps avoided and be focused on what really counts rather than becoming bogged down and negative with minor day-to-day issues.
Learning something new is a must-have resolution for 2021. If there is something you have wanted to learn for a long time but shied away from previously, take the plunge now and develop your skills.
And think very carefully about how you can develop an increasingly sought-after attribute in the workplace — your adaptability quotient (AQ).
While you have likely heard about emotional intelligence (aka EQ) and its importance in the modern workplace, employers are now also screaming out for those with AQ — the capacity to wade through masses of information, absorb relevant information, overcome challenges and be ready to change.
Experts say we will hear much more about AQ in 2021 — and that it will be increasingly linked to ongoing career success.
Remember, too, that most NY resolutions fail after a week — so rather than drawing up an endless list try to focus on a few key career resolutions that inspire you to seek the success you are looking for.
Happy new working year!
