Of the over 45% of Americans who resolved to lose weight in 2019, most have dipped back into those double-stuffed Oreos and party size bags of Doritos! How do I know this? Because the 2nd Friday in January has been pinpointed as “Quitters’ Day!”
Quitters’ Day? It really is a thing.
And it got me thinking. Could quitting be a good thing?
One issue with resolutions is that many times we only look at the things we need to start doing, but we ignore things we need to stop. So, as we settle into 2019, don’t be afraid to make a quit list instead. You just missed Quitters’ Day, so it’s not too late!
Because after all, in some situations, quitters really do win.
Quit Plugging In 24/7. This isn’t a pitch for the fabled work-life balance, but it is a necessity. Studies have shown that 84% of Americans couldn’t go a single day without their device, and 50% regularly sleep next to their phones to avoid missing something. Yet, those same studies show that disconnecting has direct benefits to improving your productivity both at work and at play. Give yourself permission to unplug and unwind. If this means baking decadent cupcakes for no reason or riding your bike with no phone, then do it. And make sure to have some accountability partners! While it seems like this one doesn’t require a lot of accountability, I know the hard working, passionate people in our industry, and many of you need to be reminded to take some time for yourselves and unplug. Seem impossible? Check out this article from Inc.com that talks about unplugging to gain productivity at work.
Quit #hashtaghopping. Seriously, read a book! Your brain needs it. Maybe there’s a new book in your favorite series available or maybe (like me) you’re more of an audio book type. Either way, get lost in a book. Read to learn or read to relax or read to escape. It doesn’t matter the reason, but reading a book has big benefits for the rest of your life like better sleep and improved memory. Select a book that has relevance to your professional world and this easy step can really reap rewards for you. Here’s a quick list of top professional development books if you are looking for inspiration.
Quit the Status Quo. Commit to a specific professional development plan. Professional advancement is really broad and can mean so many things to different people. Maybe your goal is an advanced title and additional training would help. Or maybe you’ve just been waiting for the right opportunity to change jobs. Or perhaps your goal is to meet specific metrics. Whatever the goal is, write it down and make a detailed plan to achieve. Talk to your manager or others who can directly help you achieve your goals. When your manager knows areas you want to focus on, they can more easily put you in line to work those skills and provide opportunities for development.
Quit self-devaluing. Give yourself permission to be you. Don’t compare your blooper reel to everyone’s (seemingly) perfect social media posts. Don’t engage in negative self-talk. Quit comparing. Maybe you achieve this by posting a reminder on your fridge or computer monitor. But never under estimate the power of both positive and negative self-talk. Over 32 different studies of athletes who use positive self-talk indicate the right words improve performance, and the same can be true for that work project.
Quit waiting. Whatever it is, nothing happens unless you make a decision to make a change. Quit waiting for life to happen to you. Quit waiting for someone else. Quit waiting for the perfect time. Just quit waiting. If you want a change, make it happen.
There are numerous marketing campaigns that shout about New Year’s Resolutions, and it’s never too late to begin, or quit for that matter. Set a goal, make a plan, set up your accountability and get going! The unmanned and robotics industry has already started off strong in 2019, and I don’t think we’ll see that growth quit anytime soon. I look forward to growing with you!
