Yes, it’s that time of year again. The time to reinvent yourself or finally accomplish that work goal you’ve been putting off. However, by now, only a measly week into January, 25% of us have already given up on our new resolution (yikes). And only about 8% of people will stick to this goal until the end of the year (double yikes).
If you’re reading this, then congrats! It means you’re already making that extra effort to make your work resolutions, well… work! Check out our top 6 work resolutions and discover strategies to help you truly stick to them.
1. Learn something new
With the workforce and technology changing so fast, you must constantly evolve as well. Learning something new will give you an edge and help you stand out to your employers and among your peers. Whether you want to learn how to code, practice a new language, improve your copywriting or even improve your communication skills, there are tons of resources available to help you achieve it. You can even arrange to swap skills among your co-workers, which is a double bonus to helping build office culture.
2. Pick up a new healthy habit
Get movin’! Moving throughout the workday helps you feel less stressed, improves energy, inspires self-confidence, builds social connections, increases positivity, and of course, improves your overall health. Whether you choose to do a team workout or yoga at lunch a few times a week, going for a walk, opting to take the stairs or even simply standing up to stretch a few times, you will certainly reap the benefits. Other healthy habits you can try are focusing on your desk posture, drinking a ton of water and packing healthy lunches.
3. Sign up to a recruiting platform
If you’re a consultant or freelancer, finding your next contract can sometimes feel stressful and signing up to a staffing agency leaves you feeling in the dark. So, make it a goal to stop aimlessly searching for your next contract and try something different by joining Oomple. Oomple is a marketplace aimed at matching you to contracts with your best interest in mind.
4. Give others and yourself compliments
It’s been proven that receiving a compliment or expressing gratitude enhances performance, social interaction, persistence and overall happiness. So by setting yourself a simple reminder to praise the work of your colleagues, you will make a substantial difference to their mood and motivation. Practice doing this with yourself too by taking the time to celebrate little victories and appreciating your work. Praising your successes will help boost your self-confidence and in turn enhance your productivity.
5. Grow your network
By growing your network, you’re opening yourself to more advancement opportunities. Ways to grow your network are by attending networking events, events related to your field and adding new connections on LinkedIn or looking up old colleagues that you’ve lost touch with. You can start with modest goals such as attending 1 event or adding 1 new Linkedin connection a month.
6. Get organized
Achieving any goal requires some form of organization or another. If your notes are all over the place or you have trouble staying focused on the task at hand, it’s time to make organization a priority. Use Google Calendar, use a project management software to keep you on top of your tasks or even go old school with an agenda or notebook if that works best for you.
How to stick to your resolutions
First things first. Be specific and realistic with your resolution. Some goals will be simpler than others. But for the most part, you should ask yourself these following questions:
-“Is this goal realistic?”
-“How will I achieve this goal/How will I know I’ve achieved this goal?”
-“What steps and resources will I need to achieve it?”
-“When do I want to accomplish this by??”
-“What data do I need to measure to ensure I stay on track?”
For example, if your resolution at work is to “Make more sales than last year” you will need to define the exact number of sales or the precise percentage increase you desire. Next, write down bite-sized, manageable steps you will need to take to achieve more sales.
Ask yourself what resources you will need (More employees? More marketing strategies?). And finally, create a realistic timeline for achieving these steps and keep track of your numbers in a tracking doc.
Next, you’ll want to understand your WHY. Why is this resolution so important to you? Dig deep. Find something powerful enough to keep you motivated for the entire year.
Here’s an example of how you can formulate your resolution. “I will go for a 30-minute walk at noon on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. To achieve this I will need to bring my running shoes to work and block off that time in my schedule. I will go with my colleague, Sarah, to stay motivated. The reason why this goal is important to me is that by remaining active at work I will have more energy to play with my kids at home.”
Bonus tips:
- Don’t go 0 to 100 too quickly. While you may be an eager beaver, if you’re going from exercising 0 times/ week and decide that now you’ll exercise intensely 5 times/week, you’ll be more likely to quit since it’s such a drastic change in your routine. Instead, start off smaller and work your way up. This way, you can also discover what works best for your lifestyle and create a new habit.
- Choose something you like (or at least hate the least). If you absolutely despise running and your goal is to run a marathon, then you may lose interest quickly. Instead, explore other activities. You can still be healthy without having to dread the exercise. You could join a recreational sports league or try circuit class training for example.
- Stay accountable. Find an accountability partner, share your goals and routinely check-in to make sure you’re both staying on track. If they share a similar goal, such as exercising at work, you can also commit to the same resolution and do it together to keep each other motivated.
What’s your work resolution this year? We’d love to hear from you. Please share it below!