New Year’s Resolutions Super Successful People Make

Ditch the tired resolutions and make one that will improve your career.

Stop the profanity

According to New York Post’s Page Six, former Jets coach Rex Ryan plans to curb his cussing in the New Year. Over the past few years, Rex’s F-bombs have cost him approximately $225,000 in NFL fines.

While you might not be forced to put money in a company swear jar, your dirty mouth can negatively impact your career. A Jobvite social recruiting survey found that 65 percent of recruiters react negatively to candidates whose social media posts include profanity. In addition, a survey by CareerBuilder found that 81 percent of employers have doubts about the professionalism of those who curse at work.

Organize your life

Yahoo! global news anchor Katie Couric is determined to be less messy this year. If your office space has gotten out of hand, now’s the time to clean it up. Block off some time to organize your workspace. This small act can reduce stress and improve your productivity. Don’t know where to begin? Check out these great tips for organizing your office, courtesy of Lifehack.

Discover (or regain) work-life balance

Drybar founder Alli Webb vows to spend more time with her sons. Webb told Business Insider, “I don’t want to miss this magical time in my kids’ lives when they still actually want to hang out with their mom!” If you’d like to strike a better balance between work and play, now’s the time to make a change. Click on the following link for six tips to help you improve your work-life balance.

Follow up

For the past three years, Jets center Nick Mangold has vowed to do a better job of responding to texts and emails. He’s not alone. All too, often professionals forget to return messages and follow up on their job-search activities. Don’t make this mistake. If a recruiter reaches out to you, make sure you reply within 24 hours. Similarly, it’s important to send a timely follow-up message after each job interview and networking meeting.

The Muse recommends that if you receive a request from someone else but can’t respond right away, let the person know when you’ll get to it. “This will save you check-in emails and help the other person plan.” Click on the following link for more email secrets of successful professionals.

Learn a new skill

Last year, Mark Zuckerberg vowed to learn a new language (Mandarin). This year, he’s planning to read a new book every other week with an emphasis on learning about new cultures, beliefs, histories and technologies. I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it again: The fastest way to lose your edge is to become complacent in your career. This year, seek out professional development opportunities through your professional associations, local college or online that will help you expand your skills and continue learning. Check out sites like Coursera and EdX to explore free online courses to sharpen your skills.

Stick to your resolutions

New York Knicks player Amar’e Stoudemire told the New York Post that he makes resolutions on a daily basis, not just at the beginning of the year. “It’s great to strive for something that can better yourself, but a lot of times people make New Year’s resolutions and never follow through,” he said.

If you find it difficult to stick to your resolutions, take the first step by writing them down; you’re ten times more likely to achieve your goals when you document them.

Click on the following link for more advice on sticking to your resolutions.