Staying Current and Relevant at Work
By Jennifer L. Hipple, Consultant
It’s no secret that we are witnessing (and contributing to) the evolution of how we work. Eighteen months ago, the C-19 pandemic foisted the necessity of change into our lives and many of us suddenly found ourselves “moving home” to work full time or at least part time. As the months wore on, we adapted and we experimented to find workable solutions.
Today, whether our teams are utilizing a hybrid work scenario or working full time either at the office or home, we’ve all encountered the challenges of ongoing change. We’ve also discovered ways to be productive and effective. We know how to adapt, but what about thriving and staying relevant in our jobs and careers? Here are some ideas to share with your team.
Think outside the box - Find opportunities to engage with people outside your organization. If you haven’t been active on LinkedIn for a while then jump back in there and start connecting and engaging with others. The same holds true for professional groups you may belong to. These are great places to gain new ideas, perspective, and energy. They can also provide a vital platform for keeping current with the latest in your field.
Take advantage of learning opportunities - Investing some time to learn new skills or sharpen existing ones, builds self-esteem and can help position you for the next step in your career. Today’s digital and remote options make it easy to fit learning into your schedule and help you realize your full potential.
Health matters - Staying relevant at work starts with being healthy and energetic. Good health makes it easier to stay focused on achieving the best outcomes by being present to listen intently and engage in collaboration.
Wrap it up - Being intentional about the start and end of a working day is simpler with a commute, but equally important in a digital workday to avoid fatigue. Taking the time to assess your priorities for the day helps you focus. At the end of the work day, wrap things up and then take a few minutes to reflect on what happened throughout the day and make some mental notes for tomorrow. Setting a start and stop to the work day helps to create a transition point between our work and home life so that we can be more present at each.
Talk to us – What are some of the ways you or your team have been thinking outside the box, taking advantage of learning opportunities, staying current and relevant, or learning how to set start and stop habits to help you create and sustain balance in your life? We would love to hear from you. You can reach out to contact@strategic-cc.com or jhipple@strategic-cc.com