10 Career Blogs and Websites to Follow Next Year

As we head toward the start of a new year (and a new decade) you’ll want the resources to become more successful in your life and career.

One way to do that is to add some of the following websites and blogs to your regular reading schedule.

Harvard Business Review: Provides articles and essays on work life and management with a focus on improving the practice of management in a changing world.

Classy Career Girl:  Anna Runyan provides tips on how to find work you love or create a business you love.

Fast Company: Publishes stories on innovation in technology, leadership, world changing ideas, creativity, and design. Written for and about the most progressive business leaders.

Brendon Burchard: “No matter how small you start, start something that matters.”

Success: brings readers the thought leaders and success experts, both past and present, and reveals their key ideas and strategies to help you excel in every area of your personal and professional life.

The Muse: helps workers win at work, from professional advancement and skills-building to finding a job.

Penelope Trunk: Writing and providing advice at the intersection of work and life.

Glassdoor: covering everything related to career advice along with the latest company headlines.

Forbes: Providing news and advice on leadership, careers, and business.

Entrepreneur: News on starting your own business, leadership, work life, and franchising.

6 Ways to Learn More to Advance Your Career

It is difficult to keep up with the pace of change. Technology becomes more advanced daily. In order to be effective and successful in our careers we need to humbly seek to increase our understanding, learning more about our chosen field, and increasing our knowledge about the world and other cultures.

Consider the following strategies to help you learn more this year and be more effective in your career.

Be a discerning reader (and listener). Many of us get lost in the world of Facebook or Twitter without getting much beyond celebrity gossip, irritating trolls, or cute puppy videos. Instead, make an effort to limit your time on social media and grab a high-quality magazine, such as the New Yorker or Monocle. Make a practice of reading good books that bring you into unfamiliar (and uncomfortable) territory.

The same applies to your listening habits. Download a great podcast or audiobook and listen in on your commute, rather than sports radio or a vapid talk show.

Seek out a mentor. Find your Jedi Master or, at least, someone who is smart and knowledgeable in your field and learn what you can from them. People are more generous than you might think and are often eager to share with others the lessons they have learned. Be bold, take the initiative, and invite a would-be mentor out to lunch today. 

Ask for feedback from your boss. You might be one of those who tries to avoid his or her boss. This might be a common strategy, but it won’t aid your career. What you want, and need, is straightforward and honest feedback from your manager. This will enable you to understand your blind spots and weaknesses and become a more effective employee.

Watch intentionally. Don’t come home from work and mindlessly turn on the television. Watch with a purpose. Take a look at that documentary you’ve queued up on Netflix, or check out the new series on PBS. Or put aside the screens and grab a good book.

Take a class. Yes, this is an obvious one but should not be overlooked. You don’t need to spend a lot of money (or any at all), nor do you need to make a six-week commitment. Many classes are free—at your library, community center, church, or online—and require no more than an evening of your time or a few hours on a Saturday morning. You have many options and taking advantage of them can provide great benefits to your career.

Teach what you’re learning. One of the best ways to truly learn a subject is to teach it. Share what you’ve learned by providing a brief workshop at your place of employment or train your teammates
in a special team meeting. This will reinforce what you’ve learned and make it more real to you.

Commit to learning more this year by implementing these strategies and you’ll likely experience more success at work and at home.

Do These 5 Things With Your Time Off Over the Holidays

With the Christmas and New Year’s holidays coming up you might be planning to get away from the office or job for a few days, or perhaps even a week or two, if you’re lucky.

Make the most of your time away from work to come back with new energy, new ideas, and a new attitude. Here are some ways to do just that:

Get adequate sleep and rest. We’re often tempted to spend our vacation time staying up later than normal, finally getting a chance to watch TV late into the night, and then sleeping in late the next day. Give your body the physical rest it needs and avoid getting out of your normal routine. This doesn’t mean you can’t stay up late at the holiday party but you’ll be grateful you made sure to sleep well once you return to work.

Upgrade your wardrobe. If you receive some holiday money or gift cards this is a perfect opportunity to pick up a few items to enhance your style at work. You don’t have to spend a lot of money or purchase a full outfit. Adding an accent or two to your wardrobe—such as a new tie or scarf—can liven it up and help increase your confidence when you return to work for that important meeting with the boss or a key client.

Read a good book. While you’re relaxing and making the most of your time away from work be sure to read an interesting and entertaining book. It doesn’t have to be nonfiction, nor does it have to be a business book, or something related to your field of interest. Reading a great novel can open you up to experiences, cultures, and lifestyles that are different from your own, helping to develop empathy and understanding.

Focus on your health. As mentioned with the first point, don’t neglect your health during your time away from work. Get good sleep, avoid excessive amounts of alcohol, control the urge to overindulge with Christmas cookies and other treats, and stay active. If you do these things, you’ll feel ready and perhaps even eager to return to your work routine.

Give. We’ve all heard “it is better to give than to receive” and this can be true. If you focus of your time, talents, and resources over the holidays you will experience this time with more energy, peace, and joy: all qualities that will enable you to be more effective and impactful in your work.

Be intentional with your time off over the holidays and you will set yourself up for more success in your career and life as you head into the new year.

How to Become a Better Leader at Work

Even if you don’t supervise or manage staff in your current job you likely would benefit from increasing your leadership skills. Becoming a better leader can help you move forward in your career, be a more effective parent, or help you manage your life better.

In addition to taking leadership courses, there are some basic steps you can take in your life to become a more effective leader. 

Consider taking the following steps.

Change a small habit. Leaders walk the walk, rather than simply talking a good game and expecting others to “do as I say, not as I do.” Good leaders practice good habits; the kind of habits that make them more effective in their lives. For example, a good leader recognizes the importance of sleep to their success and ensures they get seven to eight hours each night. If you’re not getting enough sleep work at changing your routine and starting a new habit. Or perhaps you need to eat healthier foods that promote energy and focus. Start small and start one new habit and then move forward.

Take an interest in those around you and allow yourself to be mentored by them. You have much to learn from your colleagues and others you interact with daily. A good leader has the humility to recognize this and gain insights wherever possible. In addition, practice the art of good listening. This will enable you to humbly listen to, and learn from, as many diverse voices as possible.

You can also gain a great deal of insight from books. Many great leaders are also writers and they can mentor you through their works. Leaders are often voracious readers so check out your local library and become a frequent visitor.

Learn to see the good. No one enjoys being around negative or cynical people and the best leaders express gratitude, are optimistic, and help others see the challenges before them in a positive way. See the good in your life and work situation by changing your attitude and daily noting in your journal the things you are grateful for.

Daily Leap Career Video of the Week: 5 Books Mark Cuban Says Every Entrepreneur Should Read

Each week we present our Daily Leap Career Video of the Week. The video we share presents news or advice related to career and life development, searching for a job, the economy and employment, and other career-related topics.

The video below from Inc. presents five books recommended by Mark Cuban for those interested in being a successful entrepreneur. These books are useful for anyone wanting to start a business or find more success in their career and business life.

High 5 Weekly Career Transitions Roundup: Your Career Needs Many Mentors

This is our weekly roundup of some of the best career-related articles, interviews, blogs, etc., we've read during the week. We share them so you have some great resources to prepare you for the coming week. Enjoy!

• Your Career Needs Many Mentors, Not Just One: "Many professionals have had success with creating mastermind groups, which are a curated mix of peers who meet regularly to discuss professional challenges and hold one another accountable."

• 13 Must-Read Books on Success and Being Successful: "Thanks to the stories we read, we know we aren’t alone in our doubts, fears and limitations. That provides us with a level of comfort and peace of mind—and lots of motivation."

• The 2 Impressions that Count in Your Job Interview: "People tend to remember both the first and final impressions they hold of someone whom they meet for the first time. So make certain you are well aware of how you are coming across during these two critical periods of your meeting."

• 5 Steps to Rock Any Networking Event: "If your biggest fear is getting stuck in a corner with your plastic cup and a business card while everyone else chats away, be an early bird."
• The Employee Burnout Epidemic and How to Fix It: "The survey also found that the bigger the company, the more likely it is to burn you out. Larger organizations are more likely to have exhausted employees."

5 Things to Do On Your Holiday Vacation From Work

The holidays are upon us and with it, if you're fortunate, will be a week or two away from the work place.

You should definitely use that time to unwind and relax, while avoiding any stressful thoughts of work or overdoing it with the eggnog.

However, time away from the job can provide an opportunity to evaluate where you are and where you're headed and prepare you for future success. If you'd like to relax on your holiday vacation and also be productive, here are five things you can do:

1. Work on developing a new habit now. Don't wait until January first to start your new routine, whether you want to do yoga in the morning, or go for a run. Get a jump on it and it will be part of your life by the time you return to work.

2. Read a good book. Check out a great read from your local library, perhaps something in a field you're interested in but no very little. This can help generate your creativity and spark ideas that you can take with you back to the office.

3. Connect with an old friend. It's fine to share Facebook posts or messages on twitter but make an effort to meet up with a friend in person, or over the phone if they live out of state. Reconnecting will boost your spirits, increase your energy, and might even lead to deepening your networking contacts.

4. Get a lot of sleep. This is likely on your agenda but sometimes the busyness of the holidays, with family and social events, can keep us running around and needing a break. Be sure to take some time for yourself. The holidays provide a great opportunity to kick back, sleep in, read a good book, or binge-watch that show you've been missing.

5. Set some goals. What do you want the coming year to look like? Take a look at your life and career situation and consider what changes you need to make in order to have a great year. Refer back to point 1 and implement a new habit now, rather than waiting until January 1st.

6 Simple Ways to Be More Innovative in Your Job and Career

Your career development and success depends on being innovative in your work, finding news ways to do things, and seeing obstacles, challenges, and opportunities before others see them.

Sometimes we're tempted to think that innovation requires some mystical process or is an innate skills possessed by the few. However, we all have the ability to think creatively and innovatively and we can implement some simple strategies to aid in the process.

Here are six ways to become more innovative:

1. Take a walk. Studies have shown that we get some of our best ideas when walking. In addition, walking, particularly in nature, provides a boost to our feelings of well-being, lowering stress, and making us more open to new ideas.

2. Learn a language. Spending some time on a new language challenges your brain to think in ways that are unfamiliar to you and opens you up to some new experiences and knowledge.

3. Meditate. You don't have to become a monk or some kind of guru to experience the many benefits of meditation, however, taking just a few minutes to calming breathe each day can make you more aware of new ideas and ways of doing something.

4. Meet with friends. Don't isolate yourself. Be sure to have fun and spend time with your friends and colleagues, especially a diverse group that holds different views. You'll be challenged to think differently.

5. Create something new. Anything, it doesn't really matter. Write a short story, compose a song, or paint a still life. The act of creating something new will inspire you to see things in new ways.

6. Read a book. Of course, reading is a great way to explore new worlds, meet new people (past and present) and learn about new subjects and fields, therefore, encouraging innovation and new ideas.