End the Year by Taking Stock of Your Career
By RDBA Executive Director Annette Maggi, MS, RDN, LD, FAND
It’s a time of year when the demands of your shoppers, boss, and retailer may be taking up more time than the priorities you set for yourself. This also makes it the perfect time to set aside some time for self-reflection on your career over the past year, considering accomplishments against goals and plans for the future.
To begin, deliberately set aside an hour or two in a quiet corner in a comfortable chair. Arm yourself with a mug of tea, coffee, or cocoa and paper and pen. Breathe deep. Relax.
Reflect. Now, give some thought to your role and responsibilities over the past year. What’s one word or a short phrase that describes how you feel about your job when reflecting on 2022? When was the last time you felt energized and excited? What were you doing at the time? When are you the most creative and productive? What was the lowest low this past year? What did you learn from the situation? What inspires you in your current role? What’s holding you back? What are your superpowers and does your current role allow you to maximize them?
Evaluate. Then look for themes. Any insights on your strengths and work motivators? Are you spending more time on what’s important or what’s urgent? Any ideas on how to enhance your role? New possibilities that emerged? What parts of your role do you want to maintain, improve, or eliminate?
Plan. Finally, think about where you want to go careerwise in 2023. Are you long overdue for a promotion? Looking for a new challenge in the retail setting? Are there skills you need to acquire to continue to rise in the ranks? Do you need to shift your focus back to important work that aligns with your health and wellbeing strategy? While it may sound old school, considering where you want to be five to ten years from now can help you identify what needs to change in the coming year.
It can be hard to step off the daily rollercoaster of retail RD roles, but taking time to take stock positions you for greater success in the new year.
