You’re not alone if you’re a young adult trying to find your career path.
Many people in their 16-35 age range are still trying to figure out what they want to do with their lives. However, the good news is that you can use plenty of strategies to increase your productivity and help you find your way.
Here are some tips from Fougen leader Sandy to get started:
1. Know yourself: Before you can find the right career, you need to know yourself. Consider your strengths, weaknesses, interests, and values. Reflect on your personal and professional goals, and think about what you want to achieve in the long term. Knowing yourself is the first step to finding a career that will be fulfilling and rewarding.
Fun fact: Sandy was working in the media industry as a TV presenter for BBC but changed her career path to venture into politics as a member of Parliament. The core skills she learned in public speaking set her up for success in her other ventures because she knew how to utilize her strengths and weaknesses in multiple diverse settings. Know yourself + Grow your skills + set goals for the future.
2. Set achievable goals: Once you know what you want, set achievable goals to help you get there. Break your long-term goals into smaller, manageable tasks. Make a plan, and set deadlines for yourself. This will help you stay on track and keep moving forward. Sometimes this can start with just simple daily morning tasks like thought journaling and drinking your morning coffee.
A key strength to develop in life is discipline but it can be difficult to maintain. Building discipline can help you become more resilient to life obstacles. Building this skill in small increments and habits make it easier to implement bigger tasks in various situations in life.
3. Prioritise: With so many options available, it can be overwhelming to decide what to do first. Prioritize your tasks based on what's most important and urgent. Don't be afraid to delegate or outsource tasks that are not your strengths or that can be done by someone else.
Sometimes prioritizing can be difficult in many situations are demanding your attention throughout the day, an easy way to sidestep this obstacle is to follow this method:
URGENT + Important - Do first
IMPORTANT but not urgent - Schedule more time to do it
Not important but urgent - Delegate this to someone else if possible
Neither urgent nor important - DELETE
4. Manage your time: Time management is crucial when it comes to productivity. Create a schedule or to-do list and stick to it. Avoid procrastination by setting deadlines for yourself, and work on your most important tasks during your most productive hours.
The productivity method above really helps organize the urgency of tasks, a step further would be to apply that method and time box your tasks into a calendar.
Timeboxing is a method where you schedule an allotted time for specific tasks throughout your day in your calendar and you stick to it.
5. Stay organized: Keeping your work environment and schedule organized can help you stay focused and on track. Use tools like calendars, planners, and productivity apps to keep everything in order.
Reminders + Trello + Google Calendar = the trinity of productivity in our team.
6. Learn and network: Continuously learning and networking can help you discover new opportunities and build connections. Attend workshops, seminars, or online courses related to your interests or potential career fields. Join professional organizations, attend events, or connect with people in your desired industry to learn from their experiences and gain valuable insights.
Eventbrite is a great place to start exploring networking events.
Remember, finding your career path takes time and effort, but with the right strategies and mindset, you can increase your productivity and move closer to your goals. Keep exploring and trying new things, and be bold and pivot if you discover that a particular career isn't the right fit for you.