Moving into the new year, it’s time for many professionals to start thinking about their professional development goals for 2023. Setting goals is a great way to stay motivated and guide your professional learning, ensuring you stay up-to-date with trends in your field and continue to advance your career. Here are some professional development areas that are worth pursuing in 2023.

 

Basic Coding Knowledge

Even if you don’t work in tech, technology is quickly becoming a critical tool for nearly every industry. You don’t need to know how to build a whole new software package, but taking the time to learn some basic terminology and some of the building blocks behind the programs you use every day will help you better understand changes and updates while maximizing your usage of the available features.

 

Healthy Work-Life Balance

If you’ve felt overwhelmed and overworked this year, it’s time to evaluate your work-life balance. Remote workers can have difficulty setting work aside at the end of the day, while companies returning to the office may still be getting back into the swing of commuting and working in the office. Learn new strategies to keep motivation and productivity off, and learn how to set boundaries outside of work hours so you can focus on yourself and your personal interests to avoid professional burnout.

 

Digital Communication Skills

Communication skills are something professionals should always be working on. Everyone is familiar with the basic categories of written and oral communication, but digital communication has become the new norm and requires unique considerations. Chatting over instant messaging platforms and writing casual emails have become some of the main ways professionals communicate essential information, and it’s easy to misconstrue the tone behind messages. This year, take some time to learn digital communication guidelines and ensure you communicate effectively.

 

Flexibility

If the past few years have shown us anything, it’s that workplace practices can change drastically in a very short time. Some people can adapt quickly, while others struggle with change. If you’re someone who doesn’t do well with sudden changes, work on being more flexible this year. This can include coping strategies for yourself or even working with your manager to find ways they can help you navigate changes more smoothly.

 

It’s essential to think about where you see your career going in the future, and the start of a new year is a great time to set some goals for how you plan to grow. These skills are helpful in nearly every field and are worth considering in your resolutions.