How to Make and Keep Resolutions
Don't let another year go by without accomplishing at least one of your New Year's resolutions. Happify created a fun scientific Infographic to help you navigate the best ways to stick to your goals. Here are my top five ways career resolutions you can make (and keep) this year.
Set a physical goal. And then tie it to a career goal. I know this sounds weird in the context of your career, but one the best ways of accomplishing career success is to attach it to the confidence and endorphins that come with your first 5K. Match your first public speech with the completion of three CrossFit classes.
Learn a completely new skill. The complaint I hear all the time regarding career isn't you're underpaid, overworked, unappreciated...it's that you're bored. Take on more projects, take risks and challenge yourself. If you've been phoning it in for years, your resolution should be to find ways to make your job more challenging, not less.
Restart a conversation. Of course, you want to make new contacts, but one of the most overlooked ways of reviving your career is reconnecting with the people you know, but on a closer level. We tend not to take full advantage of the connections we have. Use LinkedIn to dig a little deeper and get to know your professional peers a little better.
A picture is worth a thousand words. Your online professional photo is one of the best ways to capture your identity within your professional setting. A few rules, though: No dogs unless you're a vet, no wedding dress except if you're a designer, no kids unless you are a pediatrician... The goal is to have your contacts see you in the context of your professional identify. And remember: Your LinkedIn profile is 14 times more likely to be viewed if you include a photo.
Time for a makeover. It takes a few seconds to make a first impression. Don't let your attire distract from your great work. Step one: Weed through your closet. You know those scuffed pumps, boxy blazers and the sweater that sheds to no end? Time to toss. Enlist a savvy and stylish friend to take you shopping. Don't end the day before buying at least five pieces that will help you stand out at the office. Think of this new wardrobe as an investment in your professional brand.