Now that we are in the new year, you may be wondering what you can do this year to have a fresh new start in your career. You may feel very motivated to achieve career goals, but simply seeking a new job may not be the answer. You may also have tens and hundreds of ideas racing through your mind and you just want to jump each and everyone of them all at once. Remember, the best approach is done through moderation and you must ask yourself specific questions on what changes you wish to make this year and how you can achieve them.
Here are some tips to guide you on setting a new year’s resolution for yourself.
Become more self aware
The first step in setting effective goals for the new year is to know yourself. Make a list of areas you can improve upon and how that can be achieved. Knowing what factors, you can / cannot control will help focus your efforts on what you can change. Are there new skills that you need to learn to advance your career? Are you taking enough initiatives, or can you do more?
If you have been trying to get a promotion at your current company with little or no success, stop and think why that may be. Ask your employer what you need to do this year to get that promotion / raise and do those things. However, if it is just simply out of question due to budgeting issues, at least you know it is not something you can control, and you must reassess and adjust your goals accordingly.
Whether it’s something that has a direct or indirect effect on your professional well-being, write down a list of what you can improve or change, and how to achieve that. If you feel like you have hit a glass ceiling at work, it may be time to find a new job and achieve your goals that way.
Set SMART goals
How often have you set a new year’s resolution only to break them in a matter of weeks? Remember the following when setting this year’s goals: Make your goals Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and set a Target Time. To be specific, you need to understand what you want to achieve, why it is important for you, and which resources are needed. Setting measurables keeps you motivated as you see your progress along the way. Set realistic goals that are attainable as goals that are too high and out of reach will be demoralizing. Ensure that your goals are relevant and will help lead you to your overall career goals that you want to achieve. Finally, make sure you set yourself a time frame that you want to achieve these goals, as you will find yourself more actively pursuing them.
Work in moderation
Geared with your SMART goals, keep in mind that you are working in moderation. Set timelines for all the tasks involved and keep track of what you have achieved that will directly or indirectly impact your end goals. This process may take some time but seeing how you have contributed to your resolution will help keep you motivated throughout the process no matter how long it may take. Different goals may require different timeframes to achieve, so always keep in mind any external forces that may affect how quickly you can get to your goals and build a schedule accordingly.
Focus on your work-life balance
Since 2020 was the year where working from home was the norm, that line separating your life at work and life at home became blurred. With the convenience that working from home has to offer, you may find yourself not being able to keep the two separate. Small changes like not checking your emails after work or just learning to say no to additional tasks from time to time will help prevent the inevitable burnout. If you are feeling burnt out, being motivated to take on your goals for the new year may feel intrusive if you are just constantly trying to catch up on your current work.
Create a checklist
If you are someone that works best by creating checklists, this will be key to keeping track of what needs to be achieved to ultimately reach your goals. There may even be unexpected events that would slow you down or even prevent you from reaching your goals for some time, it will help if they are written down so you can recall where you left off.
These are just a few of the many ways that you can create more realistic goals that you can better achieve for the new year. Depending on what your motivators are, your goals, timelines, and external factors will be different, so it is up to you to be as self-aware to your situation as possible and set goals accordingly.
Contact us today to speak with one of our Recruitment Specialists and let us help you find new opportunities for the next step in your career!