8 Career Lessons You’re Never Too Old to Learn!
Once you feel like you’re on the right path in regards to your career, it’s easy to get a little bit complacent. If you’re hitting all your targets, perhaps in line with your personal Career Development Plan, you may not think you need to push yourself anymore.
But there are always new opportunities and things to learn when it comes to career development, as well as other aspects of your life to consider. Getting an ideal work-life balance is rarely easy! You don’t want to realise down the line that you’re happy with your success at work, but aren’t completely satisfied with what you’ve had to sacrifice to get there.
No matter where you are in your career journey, you may find the tips below helpful – it’s never too late to pick up a few new tricks!
1. Money Isn’t Everything
While money does help with a lot of things, from covering your bills to splurging on a new outfit, you shouldn’t stay in a role just because it pays well. It’s a good idea to consider all the things you’re looking for in a job, including your wages, and see how many boxes your current position ticks. If money is the only thing that’s keeping you there, it may be time to look for a new job.
If you start to think about how many hours of your life you spend at work, you’ll realise just how vital it is that you enjoy what you do. While few people are fortunate enough to truly love their job, it should at least stimulate you, and make you feel fulfilled.
2. Learn to Say No On Occasion!
This can be especially hard for people just starting out in a new job, or if they’ve recently changed careers. You’re trying to impress your superiors, so agree to take on just about any task thrown your way. And while it’s important to push yourself, and work to a high standard, you don’t want to take on too much.
If you don’t delegate sometimes, your attention to detail and overall standards may fall across the board. The cliche of quality over quantity is especially true here. Not to mention the fact that taking on a heavy workload can make you feel stressed and tired.
3. Look After Yourself
Your health shouldn’t fall by the wayside in favour of your job. If you’re feeling stressed and anxious all the time, it’s sensible to take a step back and reassess your priorities. A job that’s not suited to you can be incredibly damaging to your mental health, so you may even need to consider changing careers.
Maintaining a healthy work-life balance seems to be more challenging than ever – the trick is to really work at it! Finding a good balance probably won’t come naturally, so you’ll have to consciously make an effort to partake in activities you enjoy outside of work. Eventually, it will get easier!
4. Get Active
Taking care of yourself isn’t just about looking after your mental health. It’s also important to keep active, and look after your body. Even just a short walk every day can improve your fitness levels, and can help you sleep better at night. If you’re not moving around enough during the day, you probably won’t feel tired in the evening!
It can be hard to find the motivation to exercise if your work is draining – if this is the case, perhaps join a gym class with a friend or family member. That way you can motivate each other! Switch off from your job, and get those endorphins running through your body.
5. Keep Learning
No matter how senior your role, there is always more to learn. If you’re able to gain formal qualifications, or simply take part in a development program, it’s a good idea to broaden your knowledge where possible. You could also consider subscribing to industry magazines and journals, to keep up with the latest trends.
You can also learn from the people around you, especially your managers. Take note of colleagues with more experience than you, and find out how they got where they are today. Even if you don’t really get along with your manager, you can learn a few things to avoid once you climb the career ladder yourself!
6. Try Turning of Your Tech
When you’ve got technology at your fingertips, it’s often difficult to switch off. You can check your work emails at any time, or even chat with your boss about a current project. While it’s great to be enthusiastic about your job, it shouldn’t be your main focus at all times.
You should therefore try and distance yourself from your phone, tablet and laptop for at least a few hours each day. You’ll probably find that you start to appreciate the little things more, like spending time with loved ones.
7. Be a Team Player
At work, while you may have responsibilities of your own, a lot of personal growth comes from working as part of a team. It’s also what drives a business forward. Group projects will mean more than one perspective, so tend to be more successful in the long run.
And outside of work, joining teams and clubs can give you a sense of community. You can partake in activities you enjoy, forge new friendships, and improve your mental wellbeing, simply by joining a new group!
8. Don’t Forget to Socialise
Even if you’re a bit of an introvert, and too many social activities drain you, it’s nonetheless important to meet up with friends and family on occasion. Isolating yourself can be bad for your mental health, so try to speak to people when you can!
If you’re aiming for a particular promotion, or just general career progression, you may feel like you can’t take too much time off, and that your job should be your main priority. But there are other things to live for! So use up your holiday allowance, and make time for your loved ones. You may regret it if you don’t, as when it comes to career progression, you’ve probably got longer than you think. Some people don’t even find their perfect career path until later in life, so try not to stress too much!