We are three weeks into a new decade, and it might feel like we are back to old, regular rhythms in the office and at home. The New Year’s resolutions might have been lost already, but that doesn’t mean it’s too late to implement practical ways to build strong, healthy habits to move us to succeed in the new year.
Take ten minutes out today to think about the habits you’d like to see form and consider the best ways to make that happen. Use the following practical steps to encourage habits so that healthy thinking and living quickly becomes your norm.
Create a daily schedule
When you think “schedule”, you might think of a mundane day-to-day checklist of monotony. However, it doesn’t need to be like that. At all. A schedule should inspire you to focus more frequently on your priorities so that you see bigger successes in your everyday life.
The easiest way to make this happen is to plan your day around the priorities (such as working on your most exciting projects) to be tackled first when you have the best, most focused energy. From there, schedule the rest. The more this becomes a habit, the less likely you are to burn yourself out on both a mental and emotional standpoint.
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Build your network
“Networking” has the connotation of attending career expos, social events, and conferences. While those do add value, they’re not the only way to engage with like-minded individuals in your field. In order to broaden your career horizons, be sure to consistently build your network through platforms given to you. LinkedIn, for example, is an excellent way to connect with people and ideas to help build your career and your network. Make posting and engaging with content a habit and you’ll soon be reaping in the benefits!
Set goals (and monitor them!)
An easy one in theory, but a difficult one to truly capture in reality. This habit is all about consistency in order to combat any lack of motivation by focusing on progress. As you see success, you’ll find that the more you achieve, the more you want to achieve.
Write down clear goals that you want to see happen in 2020 and schedule a check-in on your calendar once or twice a month so that you can see how you are doing with your goals. Remember: it’s more important to see long-term growth than quick (and short-lived) successes.
Build your soft skills
Ever met someone you took to liking immediately? Odds are, it wasn’t because they had bucketloads of money or stacks of achievements under their belt. It’s probably because they had excellent people skills. Clear communication, consistent ways of thinking, and sound logic. The soft skills are so crucial in our interactions with others that it should go without saying how important they are to our career success.
