So 2021 is done and dusted and many of us will be glad to see it gone (we said that about 2020 too, didn’t we?)

A New Year is here albeit that many of the challenges of the last couple of years with COVID and the downstream effects of COVID will be with us for some time to come. Some of these effects (eg the growth of hybrid work models and expectations) are permanent. 

Ready

So what does the new world of work look like for you? And what does this mean for you in 2022? Spend a little time on reflection – what have you learned and what are you going to do with that learning in the year ahead. Ready yourself by thinking about all of the elements that are at play in your working life (as reflected in our EngageMentality coaching model):

• The roles that you play (the things you do and the technical knowledge and skills that help you to do those things well)
• The relationships you have (what you rely on others for and what they rely on you for)
• Values and how you live them (whether they are your values or your employer’s, how does you behaviour align with those values)
• Your strengths and how you can use them (giving you the opportunity to be yourself and optimise your potential)
• Your wellbeing (how you look after you)

If you want some insights on your strengths, the free VIA Character Strengths Survey is a great tool – access it at https://www.viacharacter.org

Likewise the free PERMAH survey is a great tool for assessing your wellbeing – get that at https://permahsurvey.com  

Get set

Now that you have worked out what the priorities for the year are for you in each of those 5 areas, it is time to set some goals and make sure that they are SMART goals:

• Specific – the goal is clearly defined
• Measurable – there is a means of assessing your progress
• Achievable – even if it is a stretch, the goal is one that can be realised  
• Realistic – the goal is not too much of a stretch or something that you don’t have the means to achieve in the time frame
• Timebound – there is a timeframe for achievement of the goal

Don’t forget to cover off each of the 5 elements of your working life as per our EngageMentality model (roles+relationships+values+strengths+wellbeing) – try to have at least one goal for each element.

And make sure you have a plan as to how you are going to achieve your goals and who you need help from to do that. A simple spreadsheet with 4 columns is a clear and simple way to record this and set your self up to succeed:

1. What? Your objective
2. How? The actions you are going to take
3. Who? You and anyone else involved in the actions
4. When? The timeline for when the actions are to happen

Go

So now you have your plan done, it is time to start implementing it and that means living it every day.

So don’t just file it away in one of your folders or your filing cabinet if you still have one of those. Keep it handy and revisit it at least one each month to check on how you are going. That is also an opportunity to recalibrate.

As we all know very well from the last couple of years in particular, things can change quickly and we need to be able to adapt quickly to changed circumstances. That is just part of life now.

Finally, you might think about getting a coach to help you in managing your personal plan. In looking for a coach, ask them how they could assist you in each of the 5 elements noted above. Also ask them about their strengths to see if they have it in them to bring what you need to the conversation.

Wishing you a fabulous 2022!