During the hustle and bustle of the holidays, don’t forget to prepare for the new year ahead. The end of the year is the perfect time to consider what you have accomplished over the last 12 months and what you see yourself doing in the coming year. Here are a few end-of-year planning tips to help you make the most of what remains of 2023 and plan for success in 2024!
1. Evaluate Your Current Skills
Before we jump into a new year, think about how you’ve grown professionally in the past year. It’s important to keep learning and to stay on top of the latest trends in your industry, and hopefully, you’ve taken steps to continue to grow. Note the ways you were successful throughout the year, so you know what to keep doing moving forward.
At Farm Bureau, our agents are always tackling new challenges and applying new skills as the industry changes. Here are a few ways our agents stay up to date on the insurance industry’s best practices:
- Sign up for industry newsletters
- Join industry groups on LinkedIn to connect with other professionals and learn the latest news
- Attend networking events
- Commit to building new skills
2. Think About Your Professional Development Goals
After evaluating your successes, identify the areas in which you weren’t as successful. Try to pinpoint the cause: Were you unproductive? Did you have a poor work-life balance? While we understand not wanting to dwell on the year’s low points, you can learn a lot from examining where and why you struggled.
If you feel you often weren’t the most productive, test out some new tactics to make the most of your work hours. Pick up a new daily planner to stay organized or create a new morning routine.
If your work-life balance is a little off kilter, write down the ways you think it can improve. That could mean adopting a more flexible schedule or setting a rule that you won’t check your work email after dinner. Talk to your manager about the possibility of creating a schedule that works for you. If you can’t make your current position work with your personal life, it might be time to take a look at other professional options that could be a better fit.
3. Start Making Goals for Next Year
Do you want to network more? Have you always wanted to learn how to be a better public speaker? Now is the perfect time to choose a few professional skills to pursue in 2024. By setting goals, you can hold yourself accountable and not let anything on your list become forgotten. Try to include both business objectives and professional improvements in your list of goals.
Once you determine your goals, plan how you’ll reach them. Keep yourself motivated with smaller goals and milestones that will get you to the finish line — think quarterly or even monthly. You’ll be able to track your progress throughout the year and prioritize what task needs to be completed first, giving you a higher chance of success.
4. Meet with Your Supervisor and Mentor
If you don’t already have an end-of-the-year meeting set up, ask your manager to schedule one. Sitting down with your supervisor can help you understand where you excelled throughout the year and how you can improve moving forward.
Come to this meeting ready to share your goals, aspirations and worries. Are you looking to take on more responsibility? Are you struggling with marketing? Don’t be afraid to ask for support. This conversation can help you take an important step, with your manager along your side providing feedback on your goals and dreams.
This is also a good time to meet with your mentor to discuss your 2024 goals and how to achieve them.
5. Review Your Professional Path
Reflect back on where you were at the beginning of the year and where you are now. Did you hope to advance within your company? If you think your job isn’t taking you on the right path, it could be time to consider a change.
Start by outlining what’s important to you in a job and what you want to get out of it. Do your passions and your job responsibilities align? Once you’ve decided what you’re looking for, research the skills and characteristics necessary for these roles.
If you are determined and have a passion for helping others, becoming a Farm Bureau insurance agent could be right for you! Farm Bureau offers a Developing Agent Program to help you assess whether the insurance industry is where you belong.
Consider Becoming an Insurance Agent at Farm Bureau
If you think the new year could bring you a new opportunity, learn more about why hundreds of people have chosen to become Farm Bureau insurance agents. Connect with us to find out more!