I admit it – I’m not a big fan of New Year's Resolutions. Usually because they involve limiting myself in some way that is supposed to make me "better.” For me, this approach only lasts a few weeks before I revert back to old behaviors.
This year I’m doing something different. I’m breaking my big, lofty resolutions into daily, weekly, and monthly mini-goals.
Here are some work resolutions and mini-goals worth keeping in 2015:
1. Lift Your Head Up - It's time to move away from your desk - physically and mentally. Make time to get away – not just on vacation but in the office. Grab a cup of coffee with a colleague, have lunch with your manager. Have conversations in person, not over mail. Use this time to build your network, share your goals and successes!
- To do today – Build time in your calendar for breaks – for you to get up and chat with a colleague or get coffee.
- To do this week – Connect with one new person. Maybe it is a colleague you don’t know well or the person behind you at the office café. You never know who you might meet.
- To do this month – Reflect and review your network. Who do you need to know better to support your career goals? Identify someone to get to know for next week.
2. Find Your Passion – Make 2015 the year you stop working. When you do what you love, work doesn’t feel like work. You can read about how I did this a few years back. Here are some easy steps:
- To do today – Make a list. Think about who you are, specifically your values, your motivations, the things that give you energy, also the things that drain your energy (work and non-work related). Do this daily and after a short time you will have a pretty good idea of who you are, what inspires you, and what makes you happy.
- To do this week – Take an hour each week to reflect on your list and start mapping opportunities either inside or outside of your organization that can help you touch these areas. Make it a new column on your list above. For example, do you get energy from helping others? Maybe there is a volunteer group at work that you could get involved in. Taking small steps towards the things you love can lead to bigger opportunities.
- To do this month – Take action each month and try something that supports your list. Take a risk and go outside of your comfort zone. Did you identify a new area at work that piques your interest but you don’t have experience? Try reaching out to the leader or someone on that team and volunteer for a project. You need to start somewhere.
3. Brand You - Take stock of your personal brand. Remember, you are your CEO. If you want the business of you to succeed, you need to start with your company brand. Google yourself. Don’t like what you see (or is there nothing to see)? Time to get to work.
- To do today –Take a look at the list you created in #2 and build you brand statement. It should wrap up who you are and what’s important to you. Then, spend a short time daily on the social network of your choice getting up to speed on the latest happenings related to your “passions.”
- To do this week – In week one, make time to update your social profiles with consistent pictures and your new brand statement. Each week after that, set aside an hour to make new connections on LinkedIn.
- To do this month – Take a step to stretch your brand to new heights. Take a speaking engagement, write a blog, or even comment on a blog. You can do this.
I hope you find something in here that you can stick to in 2015. Remember, go outside of your comfort zone and above all else, have fun! What are you hoping to accomplish in 2015?
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