That fresh, sparkly start-of-a-new-year momentum slowing down?
The end of January always seems to have that effect. But don’t be discouraged. There are plenty of simple (and, dare we say, fun?) things you can do to keep working toward your career goals, even after that initial burst of “motivation” wears off.
Whether you want to learn the basics of a new skill like AI or cybersecurity, or you’re looking to pivot your career completely into a field like software engineering or UX design, try applying one or more of the tips below to help you stay excited and on-track to accomplish your goals.
Practice, practice, practice
The harsh reality is: you’re never going to be good at (insert thing you want to be good at) if you don’t practice regularly. The good news? It doesn’t have to be all-consuming. As long as you do a little every day—we’re talking just 15 minutes—you will start to see progress over time. Out of the 1,440 minutes you have each day, 15 doesn’t really seem like much, does it?
Plus, there’s no shortage of options when it comes to learning and practicing new skills. Whether you’re into live, free classes where you can get real-time expert guidance and hands-on practice, or you like to learn solo with online projects and video tutorials, it’s easy to find quick ways to learn and practice regularly.
Stay up-to-date on industry trends
No matter what industry you’re interested in—data, coding, UX design, AI, cybersecurity—there are pros putting information out there all the time, and most of it is free to access.
Find a podcast, go down a Youtube rabbit hole, read blogs and articles and books—the variety is endless. And, just like with practice, it doesn’t have to be a huge time investment. Try listening to a podcast while you’re doing a mundane task (like commuting or cleaning), reading for 10 minutes before bed, signing up for a free class to learn some basic tools and skills, or following accounts about the industry on social media.
You don’t need to become an expert overnight, just learn a little bit every day.
Find a mentor
Practice reaching out to other industry pros—especially if you’re considering a short course or a bootcamp.
A great place to start? Our alumni network on LinkedIn. It’s full of people just like you who completed a course with GA and are now, well, actually… we’re going to let them tell you for themselves. Now you have to practice reaching out.
Really, though, even if you’re not actively job searching or planning to take a course, getting comfortable with regular networking can open up opportunities you may have never otherwise found. Here’s an easy template you can use:
Hi (Name),
I see you’re a graduate of (course) and I was wondering if I could ask you some questions about your experience, as I’m considering a similar path myself. I’d really appreciate any time and information you’d be willing to share. Thanks!
See? Not so scary. Now all you have to do is copy/paste, fill in the blanks, and hit send. Piece of cake.
Take care of your body—it takes care of your mind
We all have days when we’re not feeling our best, but the more you incorporate regular self-care into your routine, the less of those days you’ll have. And, the less of those days you have, the easier it’ll be to go after your goals.
Taking care of your physical and mental health looks different for everyone, so we asked our team what self-care looks like for them. See what they had to say below:
- Spending time in nature
- Finding fun and consistent ways to exercise
- Getting enough sleep every night (moving those devices off the nightstand helps)
- Practicing meditation and mindfulness (trust us, this is a neverending practice)
- Swapping processed food with things like fruit, vegetables, nuts, and meats
- Spending time with people and things that fill your cup
Of course, these aren’t the only things you can do for self-care, but they’re good suggestions to get started. Basically, what we’re saying is: figure out what makes you feel good, and make it a regular part of your routine.
Progress over perfection
Keep in mind, reaching your goals doesn’t have to be all or nothing. It can be small steps. We know it’s cliché, but… has anyone ever told you how to eat an elephant?
One bite at a time.
Consistency beats motivation. Every time. Motivation comes and goes—and it’s great if you can jump on that train while it’s at the station—but for most of us, it’s the realistic, consistent habits that help us make sure we actually do the thing we know we need to do (even when we don’t really want to do it).
Start small with one new habit like: listening to a regular morning podcast, a 15-minute walk at the end of the day, spend two hours learning something new every week, pack lunch from home instead of eating out—you get the picture—and when that feels easy, try adding another habit, and another habit, and watch it snowball into bigger and better things for yourself (and your career).
We’re here to help
The hardest part of any new habit is getting started, and that’s why we’re here. Reach out to our Admissions team to learn more about how our tech trainings will take your career to the next level.
No matter where you are in your career journey, advancing your tech skills will always be a goal worth reaching for—and we’re really excited to help you get there.