2021 Planner: 6 Steps To Make This Year Your Best Yet
Planning for a great 2021 can begin with these six steps.
The good news is 2020 is over. Even better news is that for 2021, it is possible to jump in and design the year you intend to have with purpose, deliberation and intention.
“The good news is #2020 is over. Even better news is that for #2021, it is possible to jump in and design the year you intend to have with purpose, deliberation and #intention. ”
Not saying that every dream always comes true, but planning for better outcomes during this economic recovery is a great start on achieving your goals. At Take The Lead, we hope to be your partners in your own progress and outline six steps for you to make 2021 your best year yet.
“At @Takeleadwomen, we hope to be your partners in your own #progress and outline six steps for you to make #2021 your best year yet. #NewYearsResolution ”
Maintain your mental health. Being cognizant of stressors while WFH, as well as understanding the anxiety produced by additional projects and tasks assumed or assigned while you manage your family life from the same space, can help you address them. CNBC reports that “A new report from Udemy for Business, shows workers have been devouring virtual training courses that help them learn soft skills to better manage their mental health and wellness.” Courses “that teach anxiety management alone jumped by nearly 4,000%.” Other mental health and wellness skills that saw the biggest jumps in demand in the last year were: resilience, up 1,296% stress management up 1,015%; meditation up 886% and mindfulness up 784%. Whatever strategies or remedies you choose for yourself, keep your wellness a top priority.
Seek information and mentorship. You have to know what’s up in order to move up. Forbes reports that, “Working Mother Research Institute found that 48% of men report that they have received detailed information on career paths, while only 15% of women report the same. Additionally, 54% of men had a mentor or sponsor to have a career discussion with, compared to 39% of women surveyed. Also, the Center for Talent Innovation noted that the majority of executives with a protégé had one who matched their own race and gender.” What this means is you may have to seek out data, support and tools, but do it because other people are getting the help you need.
“In #2021, @Takeleadwomen encourages you to seek information and #mentorship. You have to know what’s up in order to move up. #2021Resolution #careergrowth”
Become inspired. Of course you have a lot to do just completing the work in front of you , but consider additional avenues of advocacy and having a public voice that can lead to policy change, systemic shifts and transformation of roles and behaviors. In the recent American Medical Association journal, Dr. Marilyn Heine, MD, responds, “I think that passion to actually help others advance a cause that's really important and find out how you actually can get something accomplished, or at least raise the profile, is really helpful. We have to explain to them that you can have phenomenal education, but if the legislators are going to dictate what we can or cannot do, it's incumbent upon us to advocate for our patients. Not just at the bedside, but also in the halls of our legislatures, both at the federal and state level.” This is of course advice that is not just for those in medicine and healthcare, but for every discipline and profession. “That means getting other people and colleagues involved and trying to inspire them. And grassroots activities.”
“Become inspired. In #2021, consider additional avenues of #advocacy and having a public voice that can lead to policy change, systemic shifts and transformation of roles and behaviors. #NewYear”
Acknowledge bias and gender disparity. You are not imagining things. Your experiences are not trivial and worthy of dismissiveness. You know what you know. In a recent Harvard Business Review article, Elisabeth Kelan, Professor of Leadership and Organization at Essex Business School at University of Essex, writes, “It’s important to recognize the temptation, in an attempt to affirm that their organization is equal, to ignore instances where daily gender inequalities exist. Managers need to acknowledge the paradox and the reality. Managers need to reframe the recognition of inequality as a learning opportunity, not an exercise in assigning blame. Instead of feeling guilty that people (including themselves) are engaging in exclusionary practices, they should think creatively about what they can do differently. If they’re faced with a similar situation in the future, how would they act? Some managers keep a notebook — physical or digital — of such learning moments and record changes in their behavior over time. The act of writing down what they’re observing encourages self-reflection and the notebook itself is a good reminder to notice incidents that they wouldn’t otherwise.”
“Acknowledge #bias and #gender disparity. You are not imagining things. Your experiences are not trivial and worthy of dismissiveness. #2021Resolution #NewYear”
Speak up. Know the value of your voice and experience, but also the value of a chorus of voices with your experiences. Cheryl Grace, Senior Vice President of U.S. Strategic Community Alliances and Consumer Engagement at Nielsen, and founder of Powerful Penny LLC, tells Forbes, “It’s essential, as a Black woman, to demonstrate the power of a singular voice as well as the power of a chorus of voices. Often you are ‘The Only’ (woman or African American) at the table. You have to feel comfortable using that position from a position of power; not from a position of lack. When you operate from a power vantage point, you can indeed create change. “ Grace continues, “Women can capitalize on their earning potential by continuously providing added value through their knowledge of the business; based on their personal experiences as Black women. Don’t be afraid to share a perspective that others may not have considered because they haven’t examined a situation through the same lens as your own. Businesswomen should garner opportunities to participate in large speaking events, provide expertise in business journals, which will define them as thought leaders. Creating moments outside of the workspace fosters new opportunities to enhance your personal brand and other avenues of potential earnings.”
“In 2021, @Takeleadwomen is here to help you #speakup. Know the value of your voice and experience, but also the value of a chorus of voices with your experiences. #NewYear”
No guilt trips. Parenting while working is difficult. During the pandemic, parenting while working from home and homeschooling and taking care of children and elders is nearly impossible. While the hazards of lockdown may lift in 2021 due to the vaccines rollout, the pressure to do it all and excel at everything need not result in guilt. Writing in Scientific American, author Isabel Torres, Ryan Watkins, Martta Liukkonen and Mei Lin Neo expand on disparities for mothers in STEM and the inequities for women scientists that of course can be extrapolated to many fields. “ Besides facing many obstacles for being women, mothers encounter a lesser-known but widespread form of gender discrimination: the maternal wall. Mothers earn lower salaries than fathers and childless women, are less likely to be hired or promoted and are perceived as less competent or committed to work. Exclusion is another massive obstacle. Women with children may be removed from projects or even fired during their parental leave, and after returning to work they often report feeling “invisible” or “inadequate” because they’re left out of career advancement opportunities like conferences and networking events.” The authors continue, “Adding to these barriers, mothers suffer from chronic guilt. Exhausted mothers are constantly being bombarded by simplistic and unhelpful advice on how to find a mythical work-life balance. But self-care can’t magically fix the social inequities that are pushing working mothers to the edge. Rather than lingering over futile work-life balance debates, we should focus on raising awareness of the systemic barriers that force women to choose between having a family or a career—and create actionable solutions to dismantle them. “
“While the hazards of lockdown may lift in #2021 due to the vaccines rollout, the pressure to do it all and excel at everything need not result in guilt. #2021Resolution ”
Learn more about the trainings, courses, workshops and offerings from Take The Lead in order to make your 2021 a stellar year for your career.
“Learn more about the trainings, courses, workshops and offerings from @Takeleadwomen in order to make your #2021 a stellar year for your #career. #careergrowth #NewYear”
