Get Awesome for 2017

The end of the year is always a time of reflection and appreciation of what we’ve accomplished, what triumphs we’ve had and what hurdles we needed to get over to come out on top.  It’s a chance to look back on a year of accomplishments and plan for the year to come.  To be a person who strives to improve upon themselves and be a better person is an awesome way to look at the new year…

Have you thought about how you’ll improve yourself next year both professionally and personally?  Here are a few ideas on how you can “get awesome” for 2017:

Get Healthy

Health always comes first!  Invest in a health monitor, and encourage your coworkers do to lunchtime walks.  Heck, clear out the warehouse and do yoga!  Just get moving!  Look into organic fruit and delivery services for the office.  You can pitch in or order one and keep it available for employees to pick from.  Schedule that annual physical and if the doctor tells you your (insert test result here) is too high (or too low), fix it!  Make sure you get your eight hours of sleep.  Oh, and stop eating fast food…it’s bad for you!

Get Organized

The new year is a perfect time to get organized!  Unclutter your desk, do that filing you’ve been meaning to do, and get rid of anything that you don’t need in your office!  Chuck it or give it away to charity.  A messy office equals a messy mind.  Get organized to get efficient.

Get Productive

Bored at work?  Lacking motivation?  Picasso said, “Inspiration exists but it has to find you working.” Make a vow to uplift yourself when you’re lacking motivation to just start moving.  This applies not only to the workplace but in other areas of your life.  Get up and start that laundry, that work project, that gym session…just get moving!

Get “Paper”

Money. Cash. Coin.  I know you want more of it.  It’s tough to save especially with the financial burdens we all have. Make 2017 a year to find ways to put away more cash.  Increase your tax-deferred 401k contribution by a percent, sign up for an FSA account and use tax-free dollars to pay for your family’s medical expenses.  If budgeting is a struggle there are free handy tools out there like Mint.  Don’t think you have enough money to invest in stocks? Apps like Acorns rounds up your purchases and invests it for you.  I’ve personally used this app and have saved $1000 last year plus a 4% gain.

Get Humble

Often times we get defensive when we’re in argument with another person, both at work and home.  Make 2017 a year to be the one who humbles up in these situations.  It is powerful to be “right”, but it is more powerful to set aside your pride and realize when you are in the wrong (and even more powerful if you aren’t but don’t point out someone else’s “wrong”).   “Humility is the solid foundation of all virtues.” –Confucius

Get Awesome!

You are your number one critic when you should be your number one fan!  Be kinder to yourself, give yourself grace and allow for slip ups and mistakes.  Nobody is perfect and you shouldn’t expect yourself to be either.  Take an inventory of all the things that make you a wonderful, caring, successful person and write it down!  At times when you’re feeling you need a pep talk, read the list back to yourself.   You are where you are for a reason!  You.  Are.  Awesome.

However you decide to start the new year, whether it be toasting champagne, banging pots and pans with your kids, or sleeping (because you know you need it), make sure you start off on the right foot with a positive outlook for 2017!

By: LeiLani Quiray, SPHR

HR Director of VertiSource HR