Make over your attitude towards your career

Were you like many of us at the end of last year, dragging yourself towards the holidays, counting down the hours till freedom and cursing your daily grind? If you haven’t started the new year in a positive way there is still time to make a change with a new attitude! It’s time to get rid of that regret, resentment and attitude and bring a new attitude to 2020.

BYE BYE BOREDOM

Boredom destroys productivity but it can also be soul-destroying sitting there day after day, feeling uninspired. Get rid of boredom in 2020 by setting yourself new goals and challenges, and changing up the scenery in terms of where and how you work. Add inspiration to your workspace in the form of photographs or artwork, or work in a communal space instead of alone in an office every now and then. Challenging yourself to learn something new every day or to master a fresh skill will help keep you motivated.

FAREWELL FRUSTRATION

The first step to letting go of frustration is to identify the exact triggers for it. Is it day-to-day tasks, processes, paperwork? Identify the source of the negative feelings and start putting steps in place to remove it or to improve the way in which you deal with it. If your personal trigger is a person, such as a manager or colleague, then consider some strategies that would allow you to remove yourself from the particular kinds of interactions that cause the most frustration. Alternatively, try to find ways – such as stepping out of the office, taking a full lunch break or even taking some time off work – to help manage frustration when it does occur.

REMOVE REGRET

If you finished 2019 with regrets, make a promise to yourself not to do the same in 2020. Put your hand up for those challenging projects, put yourself out there for any opportunities that come your way. Speak up when you have value to add and ideas to share, and don’t be afraid to take risks and take on challenges. Only by doing these things can you come to the end of 2020 regret-free. Don’t leave yourself wondering, ‘What if I had gone for that promotion? What if I had taken on more responsibility?’ The only way to know how things might have been if you had stepped up is to say make sure to say yes this time around to the chances that come your way.

ADIEU ANTIPATHY

Antipathy will more often than not lead to resentment, which can fester like a sore if you aren’t careful. Find meaning and value in what you do again by revisiting why you chose this career. As you head back to work, ask yourself, ‘Why do I do what I do?’ The best response, of course, is when you remember what you love about your work and what led you to choose this career path. If your response doesn’t inspire renewed passion for your work then the best way to move forward in 2020 is probably by preparing yourself to move on to your next opportunity.

Your attitude can make or break your year both personally and professionally. Don’t let the bad attitude that had you crawling to the end of 2019 ruin any more of 2020. Bring positivity and a little bit of hope into the start of the year. Yes, things won’t always go your way and there will still be moments when you’re frustrated or bored. However, beginning with a plan for your career and managing your attitude and energy will hopefully lead to a better end to 2020.