The best 8 New Year’s job resolutions to help you advance in your career

The new year is here. We’re all excited to turn over a new leaf and embrace the new year, new me philosophy. I bet you too have a list of New Year’s resolutions, whether it is clearly defined in writing or just a broad picture in your head.

Most resolutions focus on our personal life, on what we want to achieve in our free time, but let’s not forget we spend a third (or even more) of Monday-Friday at work, so planning on some improvements in this area would also be a good idea.

Here are 8 New Year’s job resolutions you may want to apply in 2020:

1. Stay healthier at work

Staying healthy, improving your fitness, and maybe even losing weight are important goals on our lists. Since we spend so much time at work, it’s important to make sure we have these goals in mind from 9 to 5 as well.

You can choose healthier lunches and snacks. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Walk more to and from work. Get up and stretch every hour. Work from a standing desk once in a while. Choose an exercise ball over your chair. Small changes can make a big difference in time.

2. Read one career-related or motivational book

Not many of us enjoy reading work-related literature, but maybe you should give it a chance this year. There are heaps of books out there that can help you improve or learn new things about your job or about a certain area you would like to develop in.

3. Learn a new skill

No matter the field you work in, there are many new things you can learn this year. Take an online course. Watch a webinar. Read as many articles as you can. Listen to podcasts and interviews. The internet is your oyster.

4. Update your resume

It’s probably true with you too that you haven’t updated your resume since you got your current job, am I right? That can be a couple months or many years ago. Take some time to look back on what you’ve achieved since then and put everything down. It’s useful to do this once in a while even though you don’t plan to change your job, just to make sure you don’t forget some of the things you accomplish in time.

5. Increase your professional network

Networking is a huge part of the professional life of many of us, so why not focus on improving it this year? You probably meet new people on a regular basis, but you can also take the time to connect with them, either live or on LinkedIn.

6. Clean up your digital or physical files

There are probably hundreds of old files you don’t need in your computer or in your cabinet. Take some time to look through them and see what needs to stay and what should have gone long ago. Cleaning will clear both your head and your workspace.

7. Follow relevant blogs

Find the influencers you want to follow in your field and make sure you check their blogs regularly. You can subscribe to their newsletter and always be up to date with what they publish. 

8. Check where you stand on your career path

Last but certainly not least, stop and think about your job and your career in general. Are you happy going to work every day? Is this what you still want to be doing? Are you where you expected to be in your career? Do you feel the need to make any changes? It’s important to analyze your professional life from time to time, so you don’t get lost in your routine and get sidetracked from what you truly want to achieve. 

Let’s make 2020 a productive year, filled with all the accomplishments we’re dreaming of. Dare to do more! The time is now.