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Career Goals – Creating the New and the Next in 2020

The new year is a perfect time to clarify what you want more of in your personal and professional life. Change begins by setting clear goals and creating action plans to turn those desires into reality. The following steps can help you to realize your 2020 dreams.

Clarify the Vision

Begin by reflecting on what worked well during the past year and acknowledge your successes. From there, identify opportunities for improvement. Where did you lose focus and live with less intention than you wish you had? The goal of self-reflection is to come up with a clear vision for what you most want to achieve in 2020.

Set Goals

Based on what you envision, come up with three specific goals that will bring your dream to life. For each goal, identify the specific steps necessary to reaching your objective. Break down your goals into daily habits and time-based actions. Set mini milestones and track your progress towards your bigger purpose. Re-visit your goals on a weekly basis to remain focused.

If you are a visual person, you might use a mind-map approach. Write a goal in the center of a piece of paper and draw lines that radiate from the center to identify the various steps that will be required to meet that goal.  Some people are more linear and prefer timelines or Excel spreadsheets.

Use the approach that works best for you and follow the same process for each of your three goals. Success is enhanced when we write down our goals, identify the specific actions required, and create clear timelines. We then need to transfer tasks and action steps to a calendar or planner.

Identify Obstacles

When we set goals, it is helpful to consider what might get in the way of our success.  Then we can plan ahead for how to stay the course. Sometimes external forces get in the way but most often we are our own worst enemies.

Carefully consider the internal obstacles that might impede your forward motion.  What personal thoughts, beliefs, and habits are most likely to keep you from meeting your 2020 goals? Then make proactive plans to avoid getting in the way of your own success.

Know Your Why

Let’s go back to your vision for a moment. People who make significant changes or accomplish big goals are often very clear about WHY they want something. They understand the deeper value of their goals so clearly that they can taste it, touch, it, feel it.

Setting goals with “the end in mind” is powerful because it helps us focus on the deeper WHY of our goals while simultaneously being action-oriented in the short-term. It keeps us motivated on a daily basis as we work towards creating the future of our dreams.

Share Your Dreams

Talking about your goals with others increases the chance of success. It can take courage to share your deepest desires.  Surround yourself with people who will support you in achieving your goals and steer clear of nay-sayers.

Final Thoughts

If you continue to do things exactly as you have been, what will be different about your professional and personal life at the end of 2020?

If that question fills you with a sense of dread, take heart. Change is possible.

Write down your goals, track progress, and celebrate milestones. Revisit your goals regularly with weekly planning sessions. Share your goals and dreams with trusted allies.

We create the new and the next when we continually set and work towards meaningful goals. Here is wishing you a year of personal and professional inspiration! Happy 2020!

 

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Making a Case for Lazy Saturdays

Here is a sobering thought. If you are around 50 years old, you might only have about 1500 Saturdays left to enjoy in your lifetime. That is an estimate, but you get the point. We only get so many Saturdays. So, let me make a case for not working on Saturday.

A large study recently published by the “Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health” found that men and women who worked weekends or more than 55 hours per week experienced increased signs of depression. When we don’t get a break from work, we put ourselves at risk for physical and mental health issues.

Being constantly connected to work through email, texts, and phone calls does not allow our minds and bodies to rest and recuperate. Likewise, working late in the evenings or on the weekend prevents us from letting ourselves decompress.  Being “on” all the time has negative consequences.

Economic issues force many to work more than one job just to stay afloat. This is a larger social ill that needs addressing. Many people have no choice. Yet, many of us could create a much better work / life balance.

Lean teams and demanding jobs leave many workers feeling like they have no choice but to work long hours including on the weekends. In performance-driven work cultures, employees often feel pressured to perform in order to rank high and be rewarded for their efforts. And, technology keeps so many people plugged into their jobs at all times.

Employers and smart phones aren’t the only problems. Many of us work too hard for internal reasons. We may want to prove our worth, impress the boss, and land that promotion. Sometimes we keep chasing the never-ending to-do list because we imagine how good it will feel to finally get caught up.

Some of us are addicted to being busy. Being “super busy” has become a status symbol that proves we are successful. Does extreme busyness really equate to success? Or, is this way of living and working really the very opposite of success?

Lazy is a powerful four-letter word in our culture. What if being completely and utterly lazy every Saturday was something to be admired? What if limiting our work week to 40 hours and unplugging from technology after hours was the gold standard?  What if you simply decided to make this your gold standard?

Workplace hygiene studies suggest you would likely feel an increase in productivity and creativity at work and in your personal life. You might actually fall in love with your job again. Or, your spouse!  You might decompress enough to want to pick up your old paintbrushes, golf clubs, or drumsticks.

Or, you might give yourself permission to do absolutely nothing. Summer is the perfect time to slow down and be still. There is actually great power in doing nothing. Some of the most successful and respected people in the world make doing nothing a priority.

Slowing down and doing nothing can be challenging! The ego chides, “You are wasting time and being lazy!” If that happens, listen to a deeper wisdom that says, “It is good to rest and unwind.”

If you need further convincing, read some Mary Oliver. Her poem, “The Summer Day,” is a fervent call to slow down and be present in the moment. I especially love the last line when she asks, “Tell me what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” One thing I know for sure is that I have no plans to work on Saturday.

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2017 – The Year to Give Back!

Mountain Landscape in Colorado Rocky Mountains, Colorado, United States.

One of the best things we can do for ourselves, and our careers, is to share our time and talents to do some good in the world. Volunteering enhances our professional resiliency and increases our personal life satisfaction. Here are 5 reasons to make ‘giving back’ a priority in the coming year.

Expand Your Network

Serving on boards, volunteering for a non-profit, and supporting fundraising events connects us to new people who share similar interests. In time, these acquaintances can turn into professional alliances. When we volunteer, we have a chance to put our talents to use and show our skills in action. This leads to high-trust relationships with people who can then speak to our qualifications or refer us to new opportunities with real conviction.

Build the Resume

Volunteering helps us look good on paper. We can minimize gaps in our work history by showing that we have remained active and involved during transitions or layoffs. We brand ourselves when we include volunteer experience on our resumes. We also differentiate ourselves from other candidates who have similar skill sets but lack community involvement.

Skill Development

Think about what you have to offer and what you hope to gain in terms of skill development when you consider a volunteer opportunity. Sometimes we volunteer because we want to be considered for full time, paid positions within the organization. In other cases, we plan to take the skills we gain from volunteering and put them to use in our regular jobs. Yes, we give back for the sake of giving back but we can also be strategic in terms of what we want to develop in ourselves.

Career Exploration

If you are considering a career change, volunteering is the perfect way to test the waters before jumping in with both feet. You get first-hand experience and valuable insights into what it takes to be successful in a new industry. This can help you avoid a costly career mistake. If you do find a match in your new field, you will have developed great experience and connections to help you make a successful transition.

Good Vibrations

Volunteering often leads to feeling a sense of purpose and belonging in the world. If we are a bit stale in our careers, volunteering can reignite a sense of passion. It feels good to give back yet we all need support from time to time. When we are in a career transition, it can be psychologically easier to reach out for help if we have made it a priority to be of service. In giving to others, we can create good karma for ourselves.

Keep in mind that finding the right volunteer opportunity can be challenging. Start by considering what issues call to you. What are you curious about? Do you want to work locally? Or, do you yearn to support national or international issues? What talents do you have to share and what new skills do you hope to gain?  How much time can you devote given your other commitments?

Use this online resource:  https://www.livecareer.com/quintessential/volunteering to learn about possible areas of interest. Your local library also offers resources to help you research non-profits, foundations, and giving organizations such as Rotary International.

The new year is a perfect time to envision a brighter future for yourself and for the world. It is a time to set goals and seek out rewarding experiences. One thing I know for sure is that as you serve the world, you will also be doing yourself a whole bunch of good. Happy New Year!

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Attitude Adjustments and Job Satisfaction

Are you ready for some good news? Job satisfaction is the highest it has been in over a decade!

Earlier this year, the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) reported that a whopping 88% of employees are satisfied at work. While overall job satisfaction spiked, employees also reported a slight increase in engagement.

SHRM’s extensive research measures 43 aspects of job satisfaction and 37 factors associated with employee engagement. The key issues related to satisfaction in the 2016 survey included respectful treatment of employees at all levels of the organization, compensation, benefits, and security.

You can read the full report here. https://www.shrm.org/hr-today/trends-and-forecasting/research-and-surveys/pages/job-satisfaction-and-engagement-report-revitalizing-changing-workforce.aspx)

For years, surveys have reported dismal levels of job satisfaction in the workforce. So, what has changed? And, why bother sharing the good news? SHRM’s 2016 survey is noteworthy and the information it provides can help organizations as well as employees increase satisfaction and engagement.

In terms of what has changed, there are subtle and powerful shifts happening in how people think about work and life. We are gradually moving away from the belief that we need to find one true passion in order to be happy and fulfilled. Despite well-meaning advice from talk show hosts and self-help gurus over the past two decades, finding one’s passion isn’t all that easy!

And, the pressure to do so often causes stress and anxiety. Letting go of the need to find a singular purpose for being on the planet and linking that to a specific career path allows us to reconsider what it means to be satisfied and fulfilled. Rather than feeling like failures for not having found a passion, many of my clients feel a sense of relief to learn they could be equally happy working in a variety of positions or industries.

The quest to find one’s passion has been replaced with a more realistic goal of exploring different ways to put our key skills to use. We have known for years that job satisfaction increases when people use their strengths or unique super powers for 70 to 80 percent of the work day. Most people are satisfied to be paid a competitive wage to do work that they enjoy. That is meaningful and fulfilling in and of itself.

Another shift I see occurring is that people are no longer expecting any job to fulfil all of their needs. Work is an important part of who we are but it is not everything. Employees who are most happy and fulfilled at work are also committed to taking care of their personal needs and desires. This can include volunteering in your child’s classroom, pursuing creative hobbies, unplugging from email after hours or getting to the gym five days a week.

One reason people are making more conscious decisions about work/life integration is because the job market is less tight. Rather than feeling stuck, people feel empowered to seek out opportunities that are a better fit not only in terms of the skills they want to use but also in terms of value alignment and culture.

Let’s give credit to the organizations that are committed to creating positive work environments in an effort to retain talent. It is also important to recognize that job satisfaction is closely related to how content we are in other parts of our lives. Career is just one slice of a much bigger pie. No matter how you cut it, the goal is for work and all the rest of your life to be equally delicious.

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Time for Your 2016 Career Tune Up?

Most of us schedule an annual physical with our doctors and we get our teeth cleaned every six months. We even change the oil in our cars about every three thousand miles. But, when it comes our careers, we expect things to keep humming along without much care.

Our careers require regular maintenance too! Without proper attention, even the most successful careers will begin to sputter and eventually breakdown. A few warning signs that you are past due for a professional tune up include having a dated skill set, a complacent attitude at work, or a dwindling network.

The following career maintenance activities will help ensure you find success in 2016 and beyond:

Scan the Horizon

People who thrive in their careers are not just heads down at work. Every so often they look up to assess what is on the horizon in their industries. They stay abreast of any new technologies, certifications and specializations that will be needed in order to remain competitive.

I often suggest clients look at a few postings for the kind of work they are doing now. Many are surprised to find that they barely qualify for their own jobs! Attending industry specific conferences and being active in professional organizations are two ways to ensure you remain up to speed on what’s new and next in your field.

Deepen Connections

Having a strong personal and professional network is key to our career health as well as our overall wellbeing. Networking need not be an awkward job search ploy. No one wants to be contacted by a long lost colleague only when they need help finding a job. Don’t be that person!

A key part of a career tune-up includes nurturing relationships inside your company, within your industry, as well as across the community. Join a relevant Meet Up or become part of a lively networking group. Volunteer. Take up a hobby. Schedule regular lunch dates with coworkers, colleagues, and friends.

Be helpful to others and give of your time and talents. When you do this authentically, it will be much easier to ask for help without feeling uncomfortable. Always assess the quality of a professional relationship before asking for assistance. In other words, don’t expect more from someone than the relationship warrants.

Create a Master Résumé

Many clients come to me with résumés that are ten or twenty years old. It then takes considerable time and effort to update and target the document. You may be unable to meet an application deadline or you may lose a contract opportunity because you could not apply in a timely manner.

Creating a master résumé that outlines your professional history can keep you nimble in today’s job market. A master résumé should include career highlights from positions held in the past 10 to 15 years as well as key accomplishments from your current position.

Having a continually updated résumé makes it easier to quickly target an application packet for specific positions. Being able to quickly articulate the value you provide can also help you justify a raise or negotiate a better job offer. A master résumé can also be used as the foundation for updating your online profile.

Career planning and management can be complex. We have many more jobs over our lifespans and each career decision we make shapes and impacts future opportunities. Seeking out career counseling to set yearly goals and create an action plan can be just as important to our wellbeing as scheduling an annual physical.

If you have been coasting along without much thought to what is next in your career, now is the time to take proactive steps to ensure you are ready for your next professional venture. Here is to your success in 2016 and beyond!

 

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