New Year’s Resolutions? Here are 10 Monthly Resolutions to Try Instead!

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Ahh, a new year, a new set of goals and resolutions. More often than not, we’ll discuss them, share them with our friends and family, try and stick to them and within a few weeks they fade. If you’re succeeding past the end of January, you’re probably in the minority! The reality is, goal setting must be accompanied by a real desire to want to achieve such goals.

At PushFar, we’re firm believers in self-improvement and effective career progression. Combining goal setting with additional resources, such as mentoring, networking and knowledge sharing, you’ll be well on your way to faster, better career progression. But if you’re still buying into a New Year’s Resolution regime – stop! We’re here to tell you about a far better formulae to self-improvement and goal setting: New Month’s Resolutions.

That’s right. Every month, set yourself a new goal. It doesn’t have to be a huge change or improvement. Even smaller goals will seem more manageable and you are far more likely to accomplish them over a month, rather than a year. Furthermore, you’ll be setting new ones each month which will prompt you to think about your previous resolutions too. Self-improvement will continue throughout the year and you’ll be ahead of others in no time at all! We’ve prepared 10 suggested monthly resolutions for you to try. And remember, if you’re looking at goal setting – you can use PushFar’s mentoring and career progression platform to keep track of them!

1. Find a Mentor
It’s hardly a surprise that we would recommend this one first – we are the world’s largest voluntary mentoring platform, after all. However, we really do feel like this deserves to go first on the list. A mentor can help to nurture you to develop and grow in your career, stay on track with your goals and hold you accountable to your achievements too. Some of the most famous and successful individuals are mentored and mentor others too. Check out these famous mentors to see who Steve Jobs mentored!

2. Attend Professional Networking Events
You’re probably well aware of just how beneficial professional network is. We always remind our members that you never know where a networking opportunity may lead. So, why not see if you can attend more professional networking events in 2020? There are thousands of professional events hosted around the world, every year. They’re not only a fantastic way to meet people in similar sectors, industries, organisations and roles, but you can also learn a lot from them too. With everything from seminars and exhibitions, through to drinks receptions, speeches, demonstrations and talks on future ways of working, events are a fantastic thing to get involved with. Grab your business cards and start RSVP’ing now!

3. Read Your Industry News Each Week
Ahh, industry news. We are all part of an industry. Whether you are working in social media, marketing, finance, healthcare or any other such industry out there – there’s always news to go along with it. It’s really important to stay well informed about the latest news, progress and developments in your industry. If you are informed, you’ll quickly be seen within your role as a leader and be able to scale-up in your industry more quickly. So, find the websites you should be subscribed to, make sure you spend 20-30 minutes a week reading the latest industry news and become a leader in your field.

4. Learn How to Use Photoshop
This one is relevant regardless of your industry. Sure, you may not always need to use this on a daily basis but having basic skills and understanding of Photoshop are seriously useful! Whether it’s to design a poster for the office, about a new initiative that’s happening, managing your social media channels or simply putting together an office Christmas Card – you’ll be amazed at how useful a basic understanding of Photoshop can be. What’s more, it’s easier than you might think to get started. There are a wealth of tutorials on YouTube about using Photoshop and you can quickly pick-up the basic essentials required. Oh, and if you’re ever thinking about starting your own business, you’ll absolutely need this too!

5. Improve Your LinkedIn Profile
Most of us are on LinkedIn, but how many of us spend time properly optimising our LinkedIn profiles to find the next big opportunity or role? This one is a really quick-win resolution that will only take you an hour or so – or less! Login to LinkedIn and start updating and tidying it up. Update your profile bio, add a professional picture, make sure your most recent roles are up-to-date and have a comprehensive overview of what your role’s responsibilities included (within the role’s description) and you’ll be far more visible and attractive in minutes. Tip: make sure you include keywords in your profile and title. So, if you want recruiters to find you for a role as a ‘Marketing Manager’, reference the phrase ‘Marketing Manager’ in your bio, description of roles and your title too!

6. Learn How to Code a Website
This one might seem intimidating but don’t sweat it. Bear with us here because if you can master this skill (and honestly, even the basics are extremely valuable) then you’ll be leagues ahead of your colleagues and peers in most industries. Set aside an hour each evening to focus on this one and start learning HTML and CSS. These are the most basic languages for coding a website and it starts simply. Just like learning Photoshop, there are a wealth of resources in place to help you here. We’d highly recommend checking out W3Schools as a starting place. They take you through all the steps to designing a website.

7. Practice Public Speaking
Ahh, public speaking. We know it can be daunting for a lot of people, but if you want to be seen as a leader in your industry then you’ll need this one under your belt. And what’s the best way to get better at something? Practice! Whether you’re practicing in front of colleagues in meetings, at networking events where you volunteer to speak about your expert topic, or even in the mirror – it’s worth taking the time to practice public speaking. Take some time to watch public speakers on YouTube, at Ted Talks and politicians too. See what you can learn from the way they stand, walk and talk. The way individuals use body language to signify confidence and the most effective ways presentations are made.

8. Learn a Language
Learning a language is a valuable skill in any industry. With globalisation, it is now more important than ever before to learn a language and it may well be the key that can unlock your next career opportunity. Languages can help you to work internationally, in your dream countries, with your dream companies and organisations. If you learnt a language at school but have no confidence that you can remember anything, start by refreshing yourself with that language (it’s likely to have been French or Spanish). As you refresh yourself, you may be surprised at just how much your brain has remembered and what comes flooding back to you.

9. Say ‘Thank You’ to Your Supporters
Looking for another quick-win resolution this year? Here’s one that is not only a ‘quick win’ but can make the world of difference and should always be remembered! It’s easy, in the rush of work and the stresses that can sometimes surround us, to forget to say thank you to colleagues, clients and friends who have supported us through projects, roles and responsibilities. But saying thank you can have a big impact and is the right thing to do. Once a week, think about who has really helped you in the week. Then, take the time to say thank you and let them know how much you appreciate their help, hard work and support.

10. Learn About Another Industry
And finally, this one is important! It is easy to get trapped in a bubble of industry. Most people enjoy and appreciate the security and comfort of sticking with what they know, and this is certainly true of industries. Yet as more organisations expand into different areas, sectors and industries, it can be a very valuable skill to know more about other industries. Even if you work for a tech company, the chances are they will have a legal, finance, marketing and human resources department. Take the time to learn a bit more about different industries, different roles and different opportunities. They will not only give you a wider knowledge base which can come in handy when you least expect it, but they may well be able to unlock opportunities in your own career too!

So, there you have it. 10 career resolutions to consider this year! Remember, break-down your goals into manageable, bite-sized tasks and go for it. Keep track of your progress, have your mentor hold you accountable to them and don’t be distracted by others’ failing their resolutions. In no-time you’ll be the master of your industry! Good luck.