Working Towards Professional Goals
Like muscle memory, it can be easy to lose sight of how our daily habits impact our 9-to-5s. From morning routines to workplace organization, our unchecked automatic behaviors can reduce stress – or create it. Enter habit tracking: a record of daily, weekly, or monthly habits you wish to implement or break. The benefit of habit tracking is added accountability and motivation to maintain a positive streak.
You can readjust your goals as you go, ensuring that you’re on track for your professional and personal ambitions.
Step 1: What areas of your professional life do you want to strengthen?
The purpose of cultivating healthy workplace habits isn’t to add more stress to your life, but to create a more balanced and fulfilling workday. Begin by analyzing which areas of work you’d like to see improve. This will look different from person to person, but some common examples include:
Professional Development
- Ask for opportunities to develop skills
- Learn something new in your field
- Implement a new tool to improve your work
Work-Life Balance
- Manage your time effectively
- Set boundaries
- Ask for support
Workplace Culture
- Workplace Culture
- Look for opportunities to give back
- Support team members
- Communicate in a timely manner
Step 2: Create clear, timely habits that can support your goals.
Once you’ve identified your workplace goals, brainstorm a few achievable habits to implement or break. For example, if your goal is to be more organized, you might set a daily habit to check your calendar and make note of what task to start with the following morning. Or, if you’re feeling stagnant in your skillset, you might look into a weekly class or annual conference where you can generate new interest in your field.
Step 3: Keep track of your habits.
Tracking your habits, both the successes and slip-ups, helps cultivate self-awareness and solidify new behaviors. Just remember that mistakes are inevitable, and what’s more important is getting back on track. Setting a timeframe or a back-up plan can allow for human error and reduce stress. For example, you might commit to a habit for 30 days before reassessing if it’s bringing you closer to your goals.
Step 4: Celebrate your successes!
Don’t forget to celebrate your successes as you meet professional milestones and navigate personal progress. It can be empowering to hold yourself accountable and build healthy habits, but it’s also important to have grace with yourself about factors beyond your realm of control. Keep track of your growth, and keep up the good work.
Meet the Author
Tory Irmeger, BA, English
Tory Irmeger graduated from Lee University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English with an emphasis on creative writing. While at Lee, Tory served as head of copy for the school’s biannual publication Vindagua. Since joining CMC Publications as editor, Tory has led ideation, conceptualization, and development of numerous health, wellness, and lifestyle articles published in print and online for HealthScope, CityScope, and Choose Chattanooga magazines – premier publications serving S.E. Tennessee and North Georgia.
