jobs.ac.uk - Great jobs for bright people
  • Find a Job
  • Find PhDs
  • Career Advice
  • Jobs by Email
  • Recruiters
  • Your Account

  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to secondary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

career-advice.jobs.ac.uk

Secondary Sidebar

jobs.ac.uk Career Advice

  • CV and Cover Letter Advice
    • CV Tips
    • Free CV Templates
    • Cover Letters
    • Personal Profiles
    • CV Resources
  • Jobseeking and Interview Tips
    • Jobseeking Tips
    • Academic Interviews
    • Professional Interviews
    • Jobseeking and Interview Resources
  • Career Development
    • Academic Careers
    • Research Careers
    • Professional Careers
    • Working in Industry
    • Career Development Resources
    • Global Careers
    • Working From Home
  • Women in Higher Education
  • Resources
    • Academic Case Studies
    • Professional Case Studies
    • Interview questions tool
    • Job Profiles
      • Health and Medical
      • Engineering and Technology
    • Blog
    • Vlogs
  • Webinars
  • Country Profiles
    • Africa
      • Egypt
      • Ghana
      • Kenya
      • Nigeria
      • South
    • Americas
      • Canada
      • United States of America
    • Asia
      • Bahrain
      • Brunei
      • China
      • Hong Kong
      • India
      • Japan
      • Kazakhstan
      • Malaysia
      • Qatar
      • Saudi Arabia
      • Singapore
      • South Korea
      • Turkey
      • United Arab Emirates
    • Europe
      • Belgium
      • Denmark
      • Finland
      • France
      • Germany
      • Ireland
      • Italy
      • Netherlands
      • Norway
      • Russia
      • Spain
      • Sweden
      • Switzerland
      • United Kingdom
    • Oceania
      • Australia
      • New Zealand
  • Studentship Advice
    • PhD
    • Studentship Resources
    • Vlogs
  • Sections
    • CV and Cover Letter Advice
      • CV Tips
      • CV Templates
      • Cover Letters
      • Personal Profiles
      • CV Resources
    • Jobseeking and Interview Tips
      • Jobseeking Tips
      • Academic Interviews
      • Professional Interviews
      • Jobseeking and Interview Resources
    • Career Development
      • Academic Careers
      • Research Careers
      • Professional Careers
      • Working in Industry
      • Career Development Resources
      • Global Careers
    • Resources
      • Academic Case Studies
      • Professional Case Studies
      • Interview questions tool
      • Blog
      • Vlogs
    • Country Profiles
      • Africa
        • Egypt Country Profile
        • Ghana Country Profile
        • Kenya Country Profile
        • Nigeria Country Profile
        • South Africa Country Profile
      • Americas
        • Canada Country Profile
        • United States of America Country Profile
      • Asia
        • Bahrain Country Profile
        • Brunei Country Profile
        • China Country Profile
        • Hong Kong Country Profile
        • India Country Profile
        • Japan Country Profile
        • Kazakhstan Country Profile
        • Malaysia Country Profile
        • Qatar Country Profile
        • Saudi Arabia Country Profile
        • Singapore Country Profile
        • South Korea Country Profile
        • Turkey Country Profile
        • United Arab Emirates Country Profile
      • Europe
        • Belgium Country Profile
        • Denmark Country Profile
        • Finland Country Profile
        • France Country Profile
        • Germany Country Profile
        • Ireland Country Profile
        • Italy Country Profile
        • Netherlands Country Profile
        • Norway Country Profile
        • Russia Country Profile
        • Spain Country Profile
        • Sweden Country Profile
        • Switzerland Country Profile
        • United Kingdom Country Profile
      • Oceania
        • Australia Country profile
        • New Zealand Country Profile
    • Studentship Advice
      • PhD
      • Studentship Resources
      • Vlogs

New Academic Year – New You?

New year

January 1st is typically the day of the year that most us make resolutions – but sticking to these new goals during the long winter months can be challenging, in fact so challenging that almost 80% of resolutions are broken within just a few months of being created. But perhaps it’s not the act of making resolutions that is doomed to failure, but simply the time of year we choose to make them… Experts are increasingly advising us that September is a much better time of year to make those positive changes. After all, September bears many similarities to January:

– Both come after times where we may have over indulged on holidays and our minds begin to turn to making more positive choices
– The turn of the season into autumn can make us think of a fresh start in the same way that a new year can. The lazy days of summer are over and it’s time to refocus our energy in the workplace.
– Unlike the start of January, everybody is likely to be available in the workplace to put things into action straight away
– There’s much less pressure than at new year and people are more likely to have time to help you stick to your goals rather than pursuing their own
– The start of September is built into our minds as the start of a new school year – a fresh beginning, often in a new environment. This pre-conditioning can be turned to your advantage when it comes to goal setting.

So how can you grasp the opportunity to start the academic year with a new positive mind set? Some examples of goals to consider that fit perfectly alongside a new academic year:

1. Teaching goals
A new intake of students presents opportunities to create new teaching goals for the year. Whether you have been teaching for many years or are just starting out in the profession, there is always room to develop your technique and bring in a new approach. Discuss teaching ideas with colleagues and try to set yourself goals to inspire your students (even more!) this year.

2. Career Goals
If you’ve been considering trying for promotion, a new academic year represents a great opportunity to show you are ready for more responsibility. This could be the perfect time to put yourself forward – could you volunteer for academic committees or approach senior faculty staff to ask for a mentor? Can you suggest a new research project? Propose a paper for a conference?

3. Expand your network
Setting a goal to make new connections can be a great way to create career opportunities and a new academic year can be the perfect opportunity to meet new people – accept invitations to conferences or volunteer to sit on committees.

4. Build in mindfulness
The start of a new term can be incredibly busy, and it is easy to become bogged down in the day to day challenges without leaving room for your own goals. Try to find a few minutes each day to simply focus on what you hoped to achieve in the year. Even a five minute break can be sufficient to help reframe your focus – if you use it wisely.

5. Create a positive working environment
Creating a fresh working environment can help you to gain a new sense of focus – take the opportunity to declutter from last year. In the famous words of William Morris: “Have nothing… that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.”

Make the most of this annual opportunity to refocus and start your new academic year with a fresh and optimistic approach – who knows where you’ll be by January 1st?


Share this article

Lucie Johnston

Lucie Johnston has worked as a Careers Adviser in Higher Education since 2004 following a successful career running a graduate training scheme. She has particular interests in enterprise within industry, portfolio careers and career changers. Lucie has been published in Prospects and also writes for national features magazines as part of her own portfolio career.

Reader Interactions

You may also like:

How and Why CPD courses can help you
Research Jobs in Medical Technology
Why we chose a career in academia

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Follow us

Latest Jobs

  • PhD Studentship: Hypoxia Signalling Pathway in Vascular Cognitive Impairment

    School of Pharmacy and Bioengineering, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Keele University

    Location(s): Keele

    Salary: Stipend value: £19,919, £21,542, £23,298


  • Postdoctoral Training Fellow in Statistical Genetics / Genetic Epidemiology (492)

    Genetics and Epidemiology, The Institute of Cancer Research

    Location(s): London

    Salary: £40,107 - £46,724 per annum


  • Lecturer in Primary Education (Health and Wellbeing)

    University of Stirling

    Location(s): Stirling

    Salary: £35,333 - £42,155 p.a. (Grade 7)


  • EDI Consultant

    EDI Unit / Human Resources Division , University of Sussex

    Location(s): Falmer

    Salary: £35,333 - £42,155 per annum, pro rata if part time


  • Lecturer (Teaching) Practice Educator (Physiotherapy)

    Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy and Nutritional Therapy, University of Worcester

    Location(s): Worcester

    Salary: £35,333 - £39,745 per annum pro rata


  • Secretary to the Faculty Board

    Academic Division, University of Cambridge

    Location(s): Cambridge

    Salary: £38,592 - £51,805


Footer

jobs.ac.uk - Great jobs for bright people
  • Find a Job
  • Find PhDs
  • Career Advice
  • Jobs by Email
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Terms of use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Accessibility Statement

Copyright © jobs.ac.uk 1998 - 2022

  • Find a Job
  • Find PhDs
  • Careers Advice
  • Jobs by Email
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Terms of use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Accessibility
jobs.ac.uk - Great jobs for bright people

Copyright © jobs.ac.uk 1998 - 2022