.png?width=742&height=742&name=2017%20(1).png)
It is 2017!!!!! Yes, all of those exclamation marks are needed! Let's have some real talk here, 2016 was a little rough. We lost some amazing people, have had a lot of political turmoil, and some major human rights crises. Now that 2017 has started we think it is time to take a second and do a little work self-checkup. Yes, we are all going to go to the gym five days a week and eat kale salads during our lunch breaks, but how are we going to make our work lives better? Do you maybe need a new job? Well, let's answer some questions and find out.
- Am I happy with my current job?
- Am I happy with my current career?
- Is there something else I would rather be doing?
- Am I only working for the money and not for fulfillment?
So if your answers were,” Yes, Yes, Um No,” and “I am so fulfilled,” then you can stop reading and go back to rocking your job (#YouHaveItFiguredOut). If those were not your answers, then we recommend you keep reading. We have a few ideas on how to make work life a little bit better without having to find a new job right away.
Realign your career
Taking a pay cut can be scary, but it may be the right moment to think about it. If you feel trapped by your current job and unable to peruse the things you feel passionate about, it may be the right time to take the plunge into a new career. Take a moment at the start of 2017 to sit down and think about what you have a passion for. Ask yourself what you like about your current job and what you don’t like. From there start looking for something new. When you have been at a job for a while and decided to make an adjustment in the path, you're taking, you may need to take a pay cut. The hard part is deciding how much of a pay cut you can handle and still provide to your family and self. Remember sometimes happiness can mean more than money.
Refresh your space
Take time and get organized. Do you hate your job because of how overwhelmed you feel? Well, you might not hate your job but are hating your workhouse. Stick with us here. You just got home from a long day of work and there is a mountain of dishes in your sink, the trash has not gone out in a few days, and your clean laundry is still all over your couch. You put down your bag and just get annoyed, and maybe leave to get dinner, so you don’t have to be in your house. The same rules apply to work. If you walk into your office to find it covered in papers, sticky notes, trinkets, and other assorted office things, you get annoyed. Advice, before you start a serious job search try and just clean up your workspace. You like your house a lot more when it is clean; you may like your job more and feel less overwhelmed when your space is tidy. If you need some motivation to get things put away, try going and getting some fun new office supplies (2017 means a new desk calendar).
Take a mini leap
Do you have just the best idea ever? It may not be time to get a new job, but start developing that great idea you have had for years. Take some time at the beginning of 2017 to develop your idea. Do you want to make a cool new app? Start taking coding classes online, use your lunch hour or your time after work to hone in on the skills you need to succeed. Plus, you have an office full of people to be your first test group. Think about it instead of trying to find (and pay) a group of individuals to try out that new line of organic body lotions you can use your current coworkers (assuming HR approves) to test them. Before you know it you may be leaving your job to commit full time to your passion project.
It is time to make 2017 the best work year ever! Whether you quit your job and follow your dreams, or just realign your focus, next year is going to be awesome! So take some time to take a deep breath and tackle this year head first!
Got other tips on how to start the new year off right? Tell us all about them! Tweet us @kavaliro; we want to hear from you!
