1. Improve your habits.

Are you the colleague who annoys everyone because you are constantly late to work and can’t be counted on to get anything done on time? Take a good, close look at your work habits and think about how you could improve them now so you can really start the new year with a fresh approach.

Even if you’re not causing trouble at work, think about what habits you can change. Have you been eating a ton of junk food, even though you promised yourself to adapt a healthy diet? Are you staying up way too late on a regular basis? Think about what habits you have that you can try to change to help yourself feel better and be more productive at work and in the rest of your life.

2. Set goals.

When you saw the calendar change to November, did you get a feeling of dread because you haven’t accomplished most of the goals you set out to achieve in 2013? Or, are you like many in the workforce: did you forget to set any goals at all? As the saying goes, “You’ll never get there if you don’t know where you’re going.” You definitely “can’t get there from here” until you decide where you want to end up, and now is the time to identify some plans so you won’t be in this position next year at this time.

3. Improve productivity.

How can you get your work done faster? If you’re not already asking yourself this question, now is the time to start. If you can accomplish more in less time, you’ll free up hours for projects or interests you don’t think you have time to consider and be able to make a better impression on those you need to impress. Some key time wasters include: excessive email checking, not prioritizing projects and spending a lot of time gossiping around the water cooler or on the Internet. Start tracking your time on these activities and you may be surprised by how many hours you can recover from your day.

4. Learn something new.

Have you thought about how you could use some of your free time to learn something new? In a competitive environment at work, one way to get ahead is to put in extra effort and, in the process, to make yourself more marketable as a valued employee.

5. Identify a mentor.

If you have new goals for 2014, you may decide it’s a good idea to find a mentor or two who may be willing to help support you as you try to accomplish them. The best mentors are willing to invest their time and energy in you, and can expect to learn something in return. Consider actively seeking someone to serve in this role.

6. Extend your relationships.

Is there someone you would love to get to know better, but you’ve never made the effort? Maybe it’s a colleague at work, or a someone in your professional organization. What can you do to get to know the person better? Make a point to invite him or her to join you for coffee or lunch, or attend an industry networking event together. Never forget that your in-person relationships are key to your professional success.

7. Improve your digital footprint. 

There’s no time like the present to ramp up your digital presence. If you’ve been hesitating to get a LinkedIn profile, or you never bothered to take a professional photo to use online, now is the time. Employers are turning to social media to source candidates and to learn more about you. What will they find? It’s up to you to feed content to Google so a search of your name online results in information you want people to know about you.

8. Step up. 

It’s up to you to get things done, and you won’t accomplish anything without making an effort. Look for opportunities to take on interesting projects and make it clear to your supervisor that you are prepared to take on new challenges if you want to advance in your organization.

More advice:
How to get your side business started while working a full-time job
Things HR won’t tell you
How Twitter can help you land your next job

Originally published on AOLJobs.com.

The post How to finish the year strong at work appeared first on Keppie Careers.

Luckily, choosing small wins – or baby step resolutions – can work for just about any goal, including career goals. You want to earn a raise? What baby steps can you take towards making the case for more money?

• Begin to look for opportunities to volunteer for special projects so you can get noticed.
• Start seeking continuing education opportunities to fill in possible skills gaps. Your small goal can be to identify classes and your next step will be to actually take the course.
• Plan to talk to one person per week who doesn’t already know you at work. Every person you meet is a potential ally for your career plans. Make a point to continue to grow and expand the number of people who know, like and trust you.
• Make a point to identify one “win” every week: what are you doing well; what are you proud of this week? (Lucky for you, accomplishing any of your other small steps can count for this step, so you can’t lose!)

Maybe your big goal is to be happier at work. What small steps can you take to help that become a reality?

• Are you always feeling stressed and busy? Consider coming in early (before the boss and your colleagues) to get some work done before the day gets started. Your small-step goal can be to come in five or ten minutes early every day. That’s almost an hour of extra time to get things done in a week!
• Make an effort to find a new friend at work. Studies show that people enjoy their jobs more when they have some allies at work. If you don’t have any friends, identify one or two likely candidates and invite them to lunch or coffee.
• Adjust your own attitude. Convince yourself that being happier at work will be useful for you and stop dwelling on anything that’s stressing you out. Your small step goal can be to make a point to smile more every day.

What if what you really want is a new job? Instead of a potentially overwhelming resolution such as, “Get a new job,” consider a series of smaller resolutions:

• Spend 10 minutes a day building a new resume. Start out by listing your skills and accomplishments. By the end of the week, you’ll be well on your way to a new resume!
• Take 15 minutes a week researching people you know who can give you information you can use to make a change.
• Write down one thing every day that can help you get a new job. (For example, a skill you enjoy discussing or a special accomplishment that you’re proud to share.)

When you take small steps every day instead of making an effort to accomplish something big in one swoop, it will be more difficult to give up on your goal. Let’s face it, you know you can do one small thing every day or every week. Now, convince yourself that those baby steps can make a big difference and get started!

photo by vpickering

The post Don’t be overwhelmed by your job search resolutions; try this instead appeared first on Keppie Careers.