To set New Year’s resolutions is a tradition that many follow, it’s a way to prepare for the new year ahead and decide what you want to do in order to better yourself. However, it is not always as easy to follow the resolutions you set. For example, some classics are to start going to the gym regularly or to keep a healthy diet, but after a few weeks, many are back in their old routines.
If you are struggling to keep resolutions regarding your private life, it might be easier to focus on your professional career. Setting a professional goal can lead to you progressing in your career and can help increase both your skills and salary. Therefore, we have listed some examples of resolutions regarding work and your professional career for you to set this year!
Learn a new skill
No matter what professional field you are in, and even if you have worked within it for many years, there are always new skills you can learn that could benefit your career. Maybe there is a new program you want to be able to use with ease or a new innovative tool that has been developed, that you want to master. This is an excellent goal to set for the new year.
Another thing that falls under this category is to take a course and get a professional certification, something that can enhance your skills at your current job.
Set this as your work goal this year and make it happen! It can help you advance in your career and be an investment for your future.
Keep a healthy work-life balance
With Corona still being active, many of us are still working from home full time, or at least a few days a week. Many experienced a much healthier work-life balance when they got to work from home, but for others, it became harder to decide when the workday ended, and your free time began. Keeping a balance between your work life and personal life is very important so here are some tips to make sure you are balanced:
- Know when to say “no”: If you are stressed and have too much on your plate, make sure you let everyone know. Delegate work if possible or talk about moving deadlines so that you can focus on one thing at a time and make sure you do a good job.
- Know when to switch off: By the end of the day, you need to figure out what you can leave until the next day. A good way to do this is to write a list of the things you need to do the following day so you’re not thinking about it in the evening.
- Avoid checking emails after hours: When the workday is over you should shut off everything work related, which includes sneaky looks at your inbox. Whatever it is, it can wait till tomorrow. Switch off from work and distract yourself with something else.
Work on your communication skills
Many of us work in teams and no teamwork is complete without good communication. Even if you think you are an absolute ace when it comes to communicating, there might be some new tricks to learn, for example – communicating isn’t always about talking, you also need to listen actively, and keep an empathic attitude towards others. Good communication is a two-way street, so make sure everyone gets heard and that everyone’s opinions and ideas are being considered.
This will not only help you within the workplace but will also build up your communication skills in other situations.
Attend a professional networking event
By going to a networking event, you can meet other professionals within your industry and make new connections, as well as keep up to date on what’s happening in your field. There are usually many events every month, and with the pandemic, many also take place online. But choose your events carefully, a good idea is to attend at least one per year and really focus on how you can reap the benefits of these professional gatherings.
Networking is great for both your personal and professional growth and by building a network with connections from events you have people that you can always come to for knowledge or advice.
Stop procrastinating
Will 2022 be the year you finally stop procrastinating? We are not gonna deny that it’s easy to get side-tracked some days, but if you want to find ways to increase your focus and not get distracted there are some smart methods you could try.
- Plan your week – make sure you know what to do every day of the week to be more efficient and to feel less overwhelmed
- Put your phone away – remove distractions like social media and messages from your friends (that can wait till later) by putting your phone away. You can look at it when you take a break.
- Switch up your environment – have you been stuck in one place for hours on end? Make sure you take a break and walk around, get a coffee and find some inspiration elsewhere. It’s often a needed boost that will help you focus better.
Start thinking about your pension savings
When you are in your 20’s you might think it’s way too soon to think about your pension, but the truth is that the earlier you start saving the better. It doesn’t have to be complicated to start saving for your pension, just start by setting some money aside each month. Eventually and if you have the funds for it, you can start raising the number each month.
Having a savings account or a pension fund is a way to invest in your future. And if you don’t want a private option, some workplaces have options where a sum is deducted from your salary every month and placed in a pension automatically. Check with your company what they can offer their employees. The most important thing is that you start putting money into your pension as soon as possible.
Make 2022 a good year
There are many examples of professional goals that apply to any industry, we have just given some examples here. Take a look at your everyday work life and see what areas you think you can improve within and how you can be better and set a goal for yourself. It doesn’t have to be a huge one, like getting a promotion but a smaller one like learning how to manage your time better. In the end, many small goals can lead up to a big goal by the end of the year. Good luck!