Tuesday, January 18

Professionalism: New Years Resolutions

I know it's a bit late, but I thought I'd share some of my New Year's resolutions:


Financial Resolutions:
  1. Make savings a priority. Now that I have a solid job and a predictable salary, there's no excuse for not planning for the future (yawn).   So, I'm going to be a grown-up and pick an amount to contribute to a savings account every month.  To ensure I stick to this, I'm going to have my bank automatically transfer it.
  2. Set shorter savings goals. I'm going to pick a fun goal, like a big vacation, and contribute every month to a separate account created with the sole purpose of saving for this trip.  Waiting to earn that big present makes contributing to the account that much less painful.
  3. Create a budget.  With a fixed income and fixed expenses, I now need to sit down and figure out how much discretionary income I have left over and plan accordingly.  No more excuses!
  4. Check my credit report.  You get three complimentary credit reports every year, one from each credit bureau. I'm going to check it at the end of every year to ensure that all of the information is accurate, so I can report any mistakes immediately. Be careful though - don't check it too often, or it can actually harm your credit score!
    Borrowed from Savvysugar.com

    Professional Resolutions:
    1.  De-clutter my office and get paperwork organized.  I'm going to pick a day every week and mark it on my calendar (likely Friday) to go through the clutter and put everything away.  
    2. Go to lunch one day a week with a co-worker I'm not close with.  I've only been at my job about two months and I'm already stuck in a rut eating with the same people everyday.  Doing this forms cliques and doesn't give me the opportunity to get to know others around me.  So, once a week I will invite someone to lunch who I am not close with and get to know them.  I can't think of one negative from spending time getting to know those around me. 
    3. Organize charitable initiatives for the company.  Creating a food drop off center or some other program for the company to participate in will be wonderful for the community, give the company some great exposure and make me look good to my bosses (which never hurts).

    Personal Resolutions:
    1. Be more charitable.  I feel blessed to have a wonderful job, so it's time to give back.  I'm going to find an organization or two to volunteer for, and make it happen. 
    2. Be more gracious.  When given a gift or someone does me a favor, I will immediately write a thank you card.  I will follow up with those who I have assisted  in the past to see how everything went. I will acknowledge others for their achievements and praise/complement accordingly.

    What resolutions do you have?  Please share yours in the comments!

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