What are your OT career resolutions this year? Are you planning to finish a degree, change jobs, become more involved in a professional organization or shift your practice to a different population? Setting resolutions is the easy part; to help you stay on track try these 3 simple strategies: create a vision board, download a to-do app and use inspiring pass phrases!
Enjoy!
Cheryl Hall, OT
Author and Illustrator, Occupational Therapy Toolkit
Vision Board
Does anyone else find it ironic that vision boards are all the rage on Pinterest right now when Pinterest is a vision board! Despite all the electronic ways to see, save and share ideas, there is something about creating a tangible vision board that makes the goal more real.
- Display in the Right Spot – Any corner can be used to display your vision board, but make sure it is where you will see it every day. If you don’t already have a sad, cluttered bulletin board that needs a makeover, try the inside of a cabinet door, the unused side of your refrigerator or a blank wall in your work cubby. You can even create a small board that can be tucked in a drawer at the end of the day.
- Gather Inspiration – Pull together photos, memes, quotes, lists, images and other visual reminders of the goal you want to achieve. Print calendars, checklists and specific goals to focus your attention.
- Have Fun – Take a trip to your local craft store and grab a display board, some paper, pens, lettering, and embellishments to make your vision pop.
Use a To-Do App
Have you ever heard the saying “A goal without a plan is just a wish.”? Well, it is true of your 2019 resolutions too. In order to achieve your goals, you need to take a series of steps. For example, if you are trying to change jobs this year, what needs to happen first? Should you spruce up your resume? Get your LinkedIn profile in shape? Attend some professional networking events? Contact a recruiter?
Using a To Do app forces you to lay out all the steps that you need to take to ultimately reach your goal. There are so many great To Do apps out there like Wunderlist, Todoist, Trello or Carrot. So check out reviews and download one today. Once you define your “ to do’s”, you can list the needed sub-tasks, add dates and set the calendar reminders to help you stay on track.
Pass Phrases that Inspire
Even protecting your devices and accounts can support your resolutions. Pass phrases are the new passwords in the world of cyber security. So why not come up with pass phrases that tie to your professional goals? After all, you are going to type it in over and over again – sometimes several times a day. For example, if you are working towards graduation, use the phrase “2019*OTD*graduation*here*I*come!” As you work through the last semester of requirements, you will be uplifted every time you type in your pass phrase.
I am heading to the craft store now to create a vision board for my latest project; I’ve downloaded Wunderlist; and I changed my email pass phrase! You need to get started too! Be sure to let me know if these tips helped you stay on course in 2019.
