Your personal year end review: how you can improve on this year
As the end of year approaches and in the midst of lots of festivities, it’s a good time for us all to take stock of our achievements over the past year, in both our career and personal lives, and to give ourselves a pat on the back! By recognising and applauding our own achievements, we can use these to form the building blocks of our resolutions for the new year. So here are our top 5 focus areas to look at and help you design your New Years’ resolutions:
1. Career Achievements
Setting aside promotions/career advancements and pay rises, career achievements can be displayed or recognised in a multitude of ways. For example, team playing attributes should also be applauded. Think about things such as did you manage/assist a team member to achieve their career goals or take on extra responsibilities? Alternatively, did your contribution to a client pitch help to win them over? Or did you manage to find a commercial and practical solution in a sensitive situation? On the other hand, did your burning the midnight oil help close a transaction? After high-fiving yourself, think about what you can focus on to make your job situation even greater next year?
2. Personal Achievements
You may have completed some studies, written a book, raised a family, helped a friend or family member in ill health, acquired a pet or done some volunteering/fundraising activities, rented an allotment to grow vegetables or started a recycling program or done all of these and more! Everyone deserves a pat on the back for each and everyone of their efforts. Now is a good time to ask yourself if you are going to continue with these activities for next year or have a structured plan to do so? Could helping a close member of a family in the past year steer you towards more organisational voluntary/charity work?
3. Exercise/Extra-Curricular Activities
How often do we look back on our school or university days when we were actively involved in team and individual sports, or committees. Then, when we come out into the work-world, it automatically becomes a back-seat priority? Did you start an exercise program, do some hiking, do some volunteer work or make it as regular as you wanted to this year? Or did you encourage a friend or family member to do so? If not, make exercising or extra-curricular activities a number one priority next year!
4. Health
Did you eat more healthily this year than the last? If so, this is an achievement in itself. When food all around us is laden with sugar, salts, unnecessary carbohydrates, hormone injected meat and other unmentionables, we can always resolve to keep looking at the food labels and packaging, and be more conscious about what we feed ourselves and our families.
5. Family and Friends
Did you spend quality time or reconnect with your family and friends? Given that this should be top priority in our emotional well-beings, you should definitely pat yourself on the back if you got top marks in this area. Meanwhile, it’s a good time to plan those trips and get togethers with your family and friends wherever they may be.