It’s that time in our annual trip around the sun when we reflect on accomplishments and trials of the past year and plan for the next. I am personally satisfied with the growth I experienced this year and I expect next year to be even better.
If you are looking to grow and change for the better in the new year here are 5 suggestions that can accelerate your professional and personal growth.
Commit to Learning
Learning new skills and ideas is essential to your growth and should be taken as seriously as you would your physical health. No matter your role, commit to set some time aside each week for self-development. Take 30-60 minutes a week to learn something new through any variety of accessible paths. LinkedIn Learning is a great place to start but if funds are a bit tight then perhaps start with YouTube or Kahn Academy which are generally free. So set aside your 60 minutes every week on the same day and guard that space like it was a meeting with the head of your organization.
Small Step: Choose a course to take or series to watch.
Goal: Finish the series before the end of the year.
Get Moving
I admit this is one I struggle to maintain but it is super important, especially for those who sit a lot in their work. Commit to walk for at least 20 minutes every day. Movement is proven to improve mental health as well as overall wellness and it is highly accessible. Even if you only walk a loop around the block or the house make sure you move your body daily. In poor weather, indoor body-weight exercises such as squats, push-ups, and jumping jacks are accessible for most and helpful.
Small Step: Get moving at least once a week or 50% more than you do now.
Goal: Keep moving every day.
Journaling
I know this isn’t for everyone but I have used a journal (on and off) for over thirty years and I find immense value in it. Journaling is an excellent way to process your thoughts for the day or week. I’m not talking about keeping notes in your digital note-taking app but rather with a pen and paper. According to research conducted in Norway handwriting but not typewriting leads to widespread brain connectivity. Think of journaling as a mental workout or hike. When we put pen to paper we allow ourselves to explore ideas and memorialize those ideas in ink. In addition, we tend to slow down in our processing as we see what we are writing in real-time by hand and without a digital mediator.
Small Step: Write down your thoughts each morning or at the end of every day.
Goal: Write daily to process thoughts and generate new ideas.
Develop Your Core Values
If you don’t know your core values or have never committed them to paper, do yourself a favor and get on that. Core values are the principles that drive your life and shape who you are. They are the values that guide your thoughts and actions whether you know it or not. When you do something that is in contrast to your core values you are likely to feel uneasy or unsettled. However, if you don’t know what yours are, you are likely to keep working against yourself. Work through this list of core values and pick five that really resonate with you. Then use them as filters in all that you do. If something doesn’t align with your core values, simply do not engage it.
Small Step: Identify your core values.
Goal: Live by them and reduce decision fatigue.
Commit to Recharging
Understanding how you best recharge is so important. As an introvert I recharge with alone time as I listen to music, write in a journal, or learn a new skill. Yet I have family members who thrive in large group settings playing party games. Whatever your flavor, understanding what you need to recharge and feel whole is vitally important to your mental and physical health.
Small Step: Understand how you best recharge.
Goal: Unapologetically schedule time every week to recharge.
Whether you choose to use these ideas or others, don’t let another year pass you by without something to show for it. Small incremental improvements make all the difference.