Guest Post: How to Be Your Own Career Coach

A guest post from our friends at Pounding the Pavement.

Life and career coaching are multi-million dollar industries in the United States. For those who aren’t interested in paying someone else to get their lives in gear, this is a useful (free!) guide with tips about how you can serve as your own career coach. With this advice, you can motivate yourself, stay organized, and start on a path to success today – all without shelling out a dollar. Also included are some online resources for those who are ready to take initiative and begin implementing effective changes immediately.

Make a schedule.

Writing down a routine to follow on a daily basis makes it easier to stick to one – imagine that! A schedule helps you stay organized, de-clutter your mind, and instill a level of discipline in your everyday life. With a schedule, you can also get more done in a shorter amount of time, keep better track of your obligations, and manage your work to-do’s more effectively. It might sound obvious, but Google is an easy, straightforward place to organize a calendar, prioritize your tasks, and sync schedules with people like your family members or coworkers.

Set achievable, well-defined goals.

A goal such as “finish all monthly reports on time” is vague. Instead, break down tasks into smaller parts with clear deadlines. It’s more productive to set a multi-step goal like: “A) Print all monthly reports by the 10^th. B) Fill out monthly reports and obtain signatures by the 20^th. C) Mail reports by the 30^th.” GoalsSuccess.com is a blog with some great articles and easy-to-follow goal-setting advice.

Use stress-reducing tactics.

Listening to calming tapes, practicing slow breathing, participating in yoga, and meditating are all ways to clear your mind and allow you to focus. You’re a more effective worker after reducing your stress levels. Carnegie Mellon’s Student Affairs Health Services offers a great list of ways to reduce stress levels.

Be accountable to someone.

It’s much easier to let yourself down than someone else. That’s why it’s helpful to select a person who will help hold you accountable to your goals and objectives. Choose this person wisely and ask for their support and wisdom. Tell them your goals, and set a time to check in with them, whether that’s once a day, a week, or a month.

Get organized, stay organized.

If your home and work spaces are a mess, it’s almost impossible to stay organized and be productive. File papers, label boxes, organize drawers, etc. – a cluttered space often leads to a cluttered mind, and having a clean space in which to function makes it easier to operate. GetOrganizedNow.com is a great resource with advice, newsletters, articles, inspiration, and specific tips to, well, get organized now!

Remind yourself of your own value.

Too often, we slip into self-deprecating talk and forget to focus on what we are good at – what makes us unique and talented and capable. Make a list of all your positive traits and keep it somewhere you can see often to remind yourself that you are valuable, helpful, and needed! Things To Remind Yourself Daily is a helpful list of simple things to keep in the forefront of your minds as you strive for productivity and success.

Reward yourself for a job well done.

The old adage “all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy” is still used for a reason! Rewards are a great motivational tool – don’t forget to give yourself a reward when you have accomplished a task, reached a benchmark, or met a goal.

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Caity Collins is guest blogger for Pounding the Pavement and a writer on career training for Guide to Career Education.