With only a little time left in the year 2014, you may have begun asking yourself what the new year will bring. What should my new year’s resolution be this year? Lose weight? Exercise more? Strive to be a better friend or family member? Whatever you choose, also consider a resolution to implement at work. Because most of us spend a majority of our waking hours at our place of employment, resolving to proactively improve your work life can make a big difference!
Here are a five ways to jump start your career and possibly make it better in 2015:
1. Get organized! Messy desk or work station? Take some time the first of the year to examine your work space. Maybe there are papers you’ve held on to that are no longer needed or could be electronically stored. When asked to complete a task, make sure to either write it down or put it on an online calendar as soon as you are asked to do it, to ensure you take care of all requests.
2. Learn how to better manage stress. High stress can be a big deterrent in moving forward in our career. It affects our attitudes and how we relate to our co-workers, ultimately affecting our productivity. Both exercise and adequate sleep are two ways to mitigate high stress. Click here to read some great tips on stress management.
3. Improve your work-life balance. It is critically important to create a good balance between work and the rest of your life. If you’re finding there doesn’t seem to be enough hours in the day to get everything done, try waking up a couple hours early to get in that exercise or reading time. On your days off, be intentional about scheduling family events or outings with friends. The right balance is different for everyone and by finding yours, both areas of your life will benefit.
4. Improve your relationship with your co-workers. You may have your dream job but being at odds with your co-workers, could make the dream become a nightmare. You may not get along with everyone but making an effort to get to know those you work with, understanding their perspective, and offering help to others when needed benefits everyone.
5. Strive to have a better attitude. We all have control over our attitudes and the above 4 resolutions can be infinitely more possible and easier with a good attitude. Seek out ways to see the glass “half-full,” make an effort to smile and always strive to find the positive side of the situation.
Whether you are joining a gym to get in shape, trying to eat better, or spending more time with the ones you love, resolve to also implement some of these ways to give your career a jump start at the beginning of a new year!
For more career tips from MAU, click here.