Mid-Year Career Checklist

There is no better time than the present to assess, re-evaluate, and change some metrics and ways of getting things done in your work life. Here is a mid-year career checklist that covers some areas you might want to consider.

Reassess Year’s Goals: Now is the time to pull up those yearly goals — numerical and action. Where are you? Have things changed that might make an adjustment necessary? If a bonus is part of your annual compensation, what are your expectations and what can you do, right now, to make sure your earn full payment?

Start the Difficult Conversations: Have you been putting off the challenging conversation you need to have with a staff member, colleague, or your boss? Have you played out the scenario a millions time in your head but never found “the right time” to actually do it? Maybe it’s now. Reread my article about having difficult conversations and schedule a time to meet.

Take Time to Praise: Who in your work environment would you be the most upset with if they announced they were leaving? Maybe they work for you, maybe they support your work, or maybe they’re your supervisor. It always is the perfect time to mention how much you appreciate them. You go out for a coffee or a drink, or merely note how long you have been working together and how grateful you are. Look for a specific to praise. No one gets enough of this. Don’t wait until they are waving goodbye en route to another job.

Update Your LinkedIn Profile: I can’t tell you how many ambitious, well-organized people fail to give this vital networking tool the time it deserves. LinkedIn isn’t just for when you are looking for a new job; it’s how people check you out — professionally and socially. For most people the tweaks are pretty simple but they need to happen. If you have a common name, a dynamic profile raises you in the rankings. Maybe you should update your photo, trade a few recommendations, or add your latest promotion. Set aside an hour and get it done.

Stir Your Network: You promised yourself you would attend one professional meeting a month and reconnect with two former colleagues every thirty days. Somehow that slipped. Summertime is often the easiest period to get in touch with people. If they’re not on vacation, they often see it as a slower part of the year (even if it isn’t). Shoot them an e-mail, pick up the phone, contact them through social media, and get your networking back on track.

Clean Up Your Office Environment: Take a good look at your workspace. Is it clean and efficient? Has that photo been in the same place so long you look right past it? Is your chair at the right height; have you considered a standing desk? Have you thought about different lighting? When was the last time the keyboard and desk got the scrubbing it needed? Show respect for yourself and have your space reflect who you are. Add something that makes you happy or calm.

Organize Files: Things mount up. We save items that no longer have value. We misfile. Some of us are extremely disciplined with this part of our work; most of us struggle to keep up. It’s almost impossible to tackle all of it in one sitting (and pretty boring) but scheduling 15-minute chunks of time between now and the end of summer would make a big dent.

Practice Extreme Self-Care: In coaching we say you can’t help others if you first haven’t cared for yourself. It is true for everyone. So:

• Schedule those medical and dental appointments.
• Get your financial house in order — just like you do with your department’s budgets. Think about expenses weekly, monthly, yearly, and your savings and investments for the future.
• Asses your wardrobe and give away what you don’t want or need, and purchase what you do. Try shopping in your closet. Consider changing your hair in some way.
• Make family and friends a priority.
• Engage in cultural activities and broaden your scope. Challenge a different part of your brain.
• Make amends where necessary.
• Eliminate toxic people from your life.
• Check your voting status to make sure you are current and in the right district.
• Get back on your exercise plan or see how you could enhance your current plan.
• Make your living space clean, tidy, and reflective of your tastes and interests.

This all might seem like a long, impossible list career checklist. That may be your first reaction; however, with some planning and determination, you will be able to tackle a few of these. Success with a few will spur you on to do more because the satisfaction is addictive.