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The Career Woman: Work vibes for 2021


Like I mentioned last week, 2020 was a year of all sorts. Alas, 2021 is here and feels like a huge window of opportunity. A fresh start with the same challenges, and I want us to be ready to tackle them head-on. Let's grab 2021 by the horns and make the most of it, even though the pandemic is still here with us and may be for a long time to come. So instead of dwelling on what won't change, let's focus on what CAN change: you. Your professional and personal development. You can succeed because of 2020, not despite it. 

Lindsay Gilder, the Editorial Producer of Thomas Insights captures the following helpful ideas quite beautifully.

1. Start Networking

Many of us are now well-acquainted with remote work and don't plan to change anytime soon. As such, you won't be running into coworkers or upper-level management next to the water cooler, or meeting anyone interesting at an industry-specific conference. 

However, you CAN work on your online networking. I, like many others, am not someone who thrives off walking up to a stranger and starting a conversation, and that's more okay now than ever before. Although online communication can be challenging, it gives us the opportunity to curate that initial outreach and put our best foot (feet?) forward. 

Now that we're all online, online networking events are sure to follow in 2021. 

2. Develop a Growth Mindset

Wondering how you can take your professional development to the next level in 2021? Getting in the growth headspace is an excellent first step. 

Essentially, people in a growth mindset don't accept that they're skilled; Instead, they continue to develop their talents throughout life. This means even the most experienced professionals can still take a lesson from their millennial coworkers. 

Staying in this mindset also makes receiving feedback, especially criticism , much less stressful. As I said in a strategy meeting with a number of my colleagues last week, "There's a reason this is a meeting of four, not just one." 

3. Improve Your Work-Life Balance

Home office or just home... who even knows anymore?

I hope you took time off for the holiday season, it should have been a perfect time to realign your work-life balance as we move into another year with the potential for remote work.

Remote work tools like Google Calendar and Slack both have capabilities for scheduling your online hours so that notifications get snoozed and invites get declined when you're done for the day. Thomas started offering flexible hours at the beginning of this year, so setting up your technology to say no for you is a huge help in setting those boundaries. 

4. Find a New Challenge

Has anything been bothering you lately? Have you noticed something that you think you, your team, or your company could be doing better? 

The new year is a perfect time to confront those kinks in your processes that you've noticed throughout the year. 2020 especially has presented unique challenges, so odds are there's definitely room for improvement somewhere.

Now, I know this sounds good in theory but in practice, it can be very intimidating to confront inefficiencies in the workplace. Let me try to put your nerves to rest just a little: if your company is driven by success, they'll want to know what you've found. Plus, you're the person who pointed it out, positioning you as an asset to your organization and someone who's driven to help everyone become successful.

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