Strategic Goal Setting: The Key to Career Success and Work-Life Balance

How often do you think about your dream job? As a child, I would dream about all the possibilities. Work-life balance was never a consideration. As an adult, I started daydreaming about jobs with work-life balance, but the priority became jobs that could pay my bills and give me some benefits, ya know - security.

As a teen, I quickly learned fast food was not going to cut it and started exploring career paths. Oddly enough, as I grew older and found myself seeking roles with security, I started questioning how secure they actually were. With layoffs and employers controlling my health insurance, suddenly the traditional path was looking less than ideal.

How in the world do you find your ideal career?

It all starts with taking action and following any continuous improvement model. For ease, let’s use a model that was extremely popular when I worked in a school district: Plan, Do, Study, Act (PDSA).

Plan

The plan comes very last in this step. First, you need to understand exactly what you’re trying to do.

Some guiding questions include:

  • What isn’t working?

  • What could be better?

  • What does success look like?

  • How will you know that a change is an improvement?

  • What needs to change for improvement to occur?

  • What will it take to see improvement?

Once you have a better understanding of the problem and what needs to be changed, you can develop an action plan.

Action plan = SMART Goal + Action Steps

So, first document your SMART goal. SMART goals are:

✔️ Specific

When setting a goal, it's essential to be specific about what you want to achieve. Ask yourself questions like:

  • What exactly do I want to accomplish?

  • Why is this goal important to me?

  • What resources or constraints do I need to consider?

Being specific ensures that your goal is clear and well-defined. For example, instead of saying "I want a better job," you might specify, "I want to become a project manager in my current company."

✔️ Measurable

Measuring progress is vital to track your achievements and stay motivated. Consider the following:

  • How will you measure success?

  • What are the quantitative or qualitative indicators of progress?

  • What metrics can you use to assess your advancement?

Having measurable criteria allows you to gauge your progress objectively. In our previous example, you could measure success by the number of project management courses completed or the number of job applications submitted.

✔️ Achievable

Your goal should be realistic and attainable. To determine if a goal is achievable, consider:

  • Do I have the necessary skills or resources to achieve this goal?

  • Is it within the realm of possibility given my current circumstances?

  • Are there any potential obstacles, and how can I overcome them?

Setting achievable goals ensures that they are within your reach and not too far-fetched. If becoming a project manager requires specific certifications or skills you don't possess, make a plan to acquire them.

✔️ Relevant

Your goal should align with your overall objectives and values. Ask yourself:

  • Is this goal relevant to my long-term career aspirations?

  • Does it support my personal growth and wellbeing?

  • How does it fit into my larger life plan?

Relevance ensures that your goal contributes meaningfully to your life and isn't a distraction from more important priorities. In our example, becoming a project manager may be relevant if it aligns with your career ambitions.

✔️ Time-Bound

Setting a deadline gives your goal a sense of urgency and helps you stay on track. Consider:

  • When do you want to achieve this goal?

  • Is it a short-term or long-term goal?

  • How will you break it down into smaller, manageable time-bound milestones?

A time-bound goal provides a clear target date for completion. In our previous example, setting a deadline of 12 months creates a sense of urgency and helps you plan your actions accordingly.

By incorporating these SMART goal elements, you'll have a well-defined, actionable plan that increases your chances of success. Your goals will be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound, setting you on a path toward your ideal career with a focus on work-life balance.

Let’s go through the process with an example:

SMART Goal: In 12 months I will secure a role as a project manager with an annual salary of at least $80,000.

Then you would create action steps that will help you achieve your goal. Your action plan might look like the following:

  • Research common job requirements for project management roles

  • Attend 1 project management professional development opportunity online

  • Attend 1 project management professional development opportunity in person

  • Build a network to include project managers and tech recruiters, business owners, and hiring managers

  • Find a project manager mentor

  • Update resume with transferable skills for project management roles

  • Submit 5 applications a week for project management roles

Documenting your plan can help you hold yourself accountable. Sometimes, getting an accountable partner can be even better, so try sharing your goal and plan with someone!

Do

The next step is to carry out your plan. Make sure to document your progress. Documentation for our example might include:

  • Job descriptions

  • Contact dates and information from industry professionals

  • Attendance and learnings from professional development opportunities

  • Mentor meeting dates and notes

  • All versions of your resume from the first draft to more polished versions

  • Every job applied to including Date(s) of contact, Company name, Website, Hiring manager w/ contact info, Job posting, Method of contact/application, Action taken, Follow-up, Results of contact(s)

It can also be helpful to document any problems, learnings, and observations to help you improve your strategy.

Study

After you spend some time implementing your plan, it’s time to see how it is working. I would recommend quarterly reviews for a 12-month goal. Some guiding questions are:

  • Am I moving toward my goal/Did I meet my goal?

  • Have my results been worth my investments?

  • What have I learned?

  • Have there been changes/side effects that I hadn’t anticipated?

Act

The final step is to act. You will determine if your plan and action steps were successful or not. This is your time to reflect on how you can improve the process to better achieve your desired outcome.

This process can be used for a variety of goals, including establishing better boundaries to achieve work-life balance, securing a promotion, or starting your own business. If you need help, schedule a free consultation with me to see how I can help!

For more tips on achieving work-life balance and making informed career choices, visit C Suite Wellness today. Your ideal career is within reach, and it can provide the balance you've always dreamed of.

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The Role of Occupational Wellness in Preventing Burnout and Stress