A new year is a great time for goals, but often we neglect to check in with where we’re at with our work wellbeing. Here are our favourite healthy work habits to get your career in the groove today and always.
#1 Keep A Skills Record
When you first start a job, all the new processes and programs can feel like a foreign language, but over time you pick them up and things become second nature. As we get used to our day-to-day proficiencies, we often forget that we’re learning new skills along the way. To get the most bang for your buck in your work experiences, keep a monthly diary or record of skills you’ve learned, programs you’ve used or processes you’ve mastered. It’ll come in mega handy when it’s time to update your resume or write new job applications.
#2 Keep An Achievements And Challenges Record
The same goes for achievements and challenges you’ve overcome. In the moment, they can feel exciting and newsworthy, but over time those small wins get drowned out. While you might remember an award you won, you’ll probably forget about that killer presentation you nailed, or the time your creative ideas got a great response on social media. Keep a note of these smaller wins, too, in the same way as your skills record. Not only are they great ammunition when it comes time to find a new role, but they serve as a great mood booster if you’re having a rough week or battling a bout of imposter syndrome.
#3 Fill Your Snack Drawer
Equally if not more important than your skills, are your snacks! Whether you’re back in the office or still hunkering down in your WFH cave, kickstart the year organised and armed with snacks ahead of the 3pm slump. Not only will having your own snack stash save you money when the afternoon munchies strike, but they can help you keep your energy up, work more efficiently, and stay healthy at the same time. The triple threat!
#4 Clear Out Your Digital Files
Our downloads folders are hectic at the best of times, but a new year serves as a reminder to empty that digital trash can and do some decluttering. Take an hour to go through the stuff that’s crowding your digital life and make some space on your screen and in your mind.
#5 Schedule Regular Breaks
...if you can! Lots of us are still stuck working from home, but no matter where you’re working, breaks were definitely something 2020 saw us overlooking. With workloads up and resources down, taking decent breaks became harder for many of us, but when you can, resolve to keep on top of your mental and physical respite during your work day in 2021. Using techniques like the Pomodoro timer, movement reminders on your FitBit or Apple Watch, or simply blocking out time in your diary for a few minutes of downtime can make all the difference. The trick is making it part of your to-do list.
#6 Lean Into Your Workplace Emotions
Back-to-work blues after a holiday are perfectly normal if they’re nothing more than a little night-before-niggle about missing your sleep ins and having to eat a vegetable for the first time in three weeks. But if your woes are lasting longer than a couple of days, or you’re feeling anxious about more than just the return to routine, there could be something more going on. If you’ve been dreading going back to a toxic environment or feeling uninspired or unchallenged, it could be time to think about moving on.
Want to dork out over some career books and level up your reading game? These 7 titles are must-reads for anyone upping their work wellbeing in 2021.
Image Credit: Daniel Monteiro
Emma is a finance blogger at The Broke Generation and a reformed spendaholic. She shares hot tips on saving, property, tax, career and investing for millennials who want to break the spending cycle and get financially confident.