If 2020 has made you want to start 2021 with a ‘New Year, New Me’ mindset, the chances are you’re not alone. But whilst many of us begin a new year with the best of intentions, our resolutions often fall by the wayside before we’ve even hit February.
So this year, why not try setting goals to give you purpose and direction. You can aim to grow your business; take the opportunity to develop professionally; or use the New Year to focus on personal improvement.
Not sure where to start? Take a look at our ten goals to help make 2021 your year.
1. Re-connect with people
If a year of social distancing, lockdowns and video calls has taught us anything, it’s how much we miss face-to-face interaction. Whilst things won’t go back to normal overnight, vaccines and travel corridors in 2021 will hopefully provide more opportunities to safely rebuild the human connections we took for granted pre-Covid. So, whether it’s for your own personal wellbeing or to make the most of a business opportunity, consider making re-connecting with people a goal for the year ahead.
2. Focus on greener business practices
2020 may have been all about Covid-19, safety and travel risk, but 2021 could be the ideal opportunity to hit the ‘reset’ button on sustainability. Get the new year off to a green start by placing it firmly back on your business’ agenda by looking at all the opportunities to reduce your company’s carbon footprint, and make it a 2021 goal to strike the right balance between impact and cost.
3. Expand your network
If you want to meet new people in 2021 (whether virtually or in-person) there are some easy ways you can go about this. Join your relevant professional associations and nominate to attend virtual conferences, then get networking online by updating your LinkedIn profile and browsing through people you may know to connect or reconnect.
4. Complete a course
Whether it's to work towards a promotion, upskill in a competitive employment market or solely for your own interest and development, taking a class or working towards a qualification can be a worthwhile goal. You can start small and broaden your understanding of many topics with a platform like LinkedIn Learning or go big and enrol in your MBA. Talk to your company about what support is available through their learning and development program.
5. Win an award
Winning or even being nominated for industry awards can increase your credibility, showcase your expertise and give you opportunities to network at awards shows. Most industry associations run an awards program, so contact them to find out their nomination requirements.
6. Travel more sustainably
Whether you travelled last year or packed away your passport, if you’re planning to take to the skies in 2021 why not add travelling more sustainably to your list of goals. From choosing hotels, airlines and car hire companies that have solid sustainable practices, to reducing food and material wastes, like plastic and paper, there are many ways you can get involved and make a difference.
7. Learn a new language.
There are over 6,000 languages used around the world, and if you're doing business internationally, you might like to learn a new dialect. Consider learning Mandarin, which is the number one language in the world based on the number of native speakers, or Spanish, which comes in second and is the second-most commonly spoken language in the United States.
8. Read more books
You might already be among the 92% of Australians that read a book a year, but if your goal is to read more books in 2021, like 51% of the population who read up to ten books a year, then there is no better time to start. From the best finance books to grow your business and wealth to new release novels, your options are endless. No time to read or prefer listening? Audiobooks count here too, with 12% of readers preferring to listen to their books than read them.
9. Be more physically active
According to the Heart Foundation, any physical opportunity is better than none. The peak body for heart health in Australia recommends being active on most days, if not all, and aiming for 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity each week. Start small by going for a walk and taking the stairs; every marathon starts with a step.
10. Prioritise self-care
When you’re busy working and travelling, allocating time to relax and focus on yourself can seem impossible. But it doesn’t have to be. Take a few minutes when you wake up, or on your commute if you’re back in the office, to do something that will make you feel more relaxed, healthy or happy. Can’t find any time? Check out our time-saving hacks for business and life. And if you need to take more time, like a mental health day, remember that relaxing can actually benefit your business, so put yourself first, and the rest will follow.