How’s your New Year’s resolution going? There’s a joke in the office that the perfect gym membership is one you get in January, and turns into a bar membership by February.
Let’s face it though, we all seem to get busier and busier in our roles. With pressure to meet deadlines and meetings that run over lunch, how in this very busy working life do we find the time to exercise?
The time of day where exercising will make the greatest impact differs from person to person. Some people prefer a break, either at lunchtime or mid-afternoon. This reinvigorates them for the rest of the day. Others prefer going to the gym on the way home from work. In my case, I’m an early bird, so I set the alarm clock for 5:15 am and start my day with a 24-minute run up a number of hills, followed by 30 push-ups and 100 stomach crunches. For me, this is the most effective use of my time exercising, as I only need to deal with showering, hair, and make-up once a day. By running from my home, rather than going to the gym, there is no travel time.
This approach is great for your career too. When you work in a busy role, it’s often hard to figure out how, and when, you should work on achieving something that will boost your career. Just like getting healthier, securing that new job or promotion won’t happen overnight. It’s something you should work at accomplishing in small doses over time.
Tip 1 - Touch Up Your CV
If you go for a run in an old pair of running shoes, chances are you’re going to get so many blisters you’ll vow never to run again.
The same principle should be applied to your CV. If you neglect your CV and put updating it on the backburner, it’s not going to be very helpful when you need it next. Whenever you succeed at work, learn a new skill or gain experiences, add them to your CV whilst removing outdated information as you go.
Not only will regularly updating your CV ensure you’ll have a great one to hand over when a job opportunity comes up, but it can also make recognising the hard work you do each day easier. This can really help when you’re next at a networking event and someone asks you, “what do you do?”
If you’d like some more great tips, check out our guide to writing an excellent CV.
Tip 2 - Update Your LinkedIn
Just like your CV, your LinkedIn profile can have a huge influence on your career and directly affect your chances of securing a new role. However, getting your profile into great shape doesn’t have to take hours and hours. Here are a few quick tips to ensure your LinkedIn profile is on point:
- Write your headline so it shows the industry and areas you specialise in, as well as your current job title so people can see your expertise at a glance.
- If you’ve recently completed some great work for a colleague or client, politely ask them for a LinkedIn recommendation whilst it’s still fresh in their mind.
- Expand on your previous roles by including key areas and responsibilities with your job titles, but be sure they match what’s on your CV!
Your LinkedIn profile plays a crucial role in how everyone views your personal brand, so be sure you understand what your personal brand is and how to take control of it.
Tip 3 – Reprioritise Your Schedule
We’re all full of good intentions, but how do we find the time and make it stick? The answer is simple: book it in and prioritise it. Many of us are guilty of saying yes to everything, but if you can’t give anything your full attention, you’ll rarely succeed.
To reset your work schedule, write down a few professional priorities you want to focus your time on and work out how you’re going to achieve them. For example, if you want to get a promotion, instead of spending your lunchbreak answering non-urgent emails, ask your Manager about any opportunities there might be to learn new skills or gain exposure to other areas of the business.
Summary
Did you know that 92% of people don’t achieve their New Year’s resolutions? Don’t let your career aspirations meet the same fate. Find the spaces where you can make a little more time and find out how to take control of your career. I hope this blog was helpful to you, whether it’s getting you back to the gym or giving you the energy to refresh your career. Here’s to a healthier and more productive 2017!
