Work Hard, Win Easy: Getting a Head Start to the New Year During the Holidays

By: Karen Freberg, @kfreberg

Christmas holidays are here and it is time to relax, spend time with friends and family, and recover from the fall semester. However, the spring semester will be here before you know it, and there are always some things you can do in preparation for tackling some resolutions you want to accomplish in the New Year.

The holidays come and go pretty fast, but there are a lot you can do to get accomplished during the two-week period. Preparation and planning ahead come in handy, especially if you are anticipating a busy spring semester with internships, professional interviews, and classes coming up. By taking the time to prepare, plan, and anticipate goals and activities, you will feel confident and ready to go before the semester even starts again.

What are some things you can do in preparation for the New Year over the break? Here are some things to think about:

Look at your resume and online portfolio: I have always found the holidays to be a perfect time to update, revise, and even create a completely new resume format for the New Year. Wix, Seelio, Adobe and even WordPress are good options to consider investing in for your online presence and brand.

Take a brief view of your class syllabi for the upcoming semester: As a professor, I always try to have mine posted over the holidays for my students to give them some time to get the books, review key dates for the class, and have the opportunity to ask me any questions before the semester starts.

Learn a new platform or tool: There are many new tools out there to look into and get your hands involved in before the semester starts. Whether it is checking out some of the Adobe webinars for students or reaching out to fellow sports and social media colleagues to see what they would recommend. If you want to invest in industry specific videos, you may want to check out Lynda.

Look for internships for next semester: A lot of times, many brands, agencies, and teams post internships right before the New Year or even send out ones to consider for the summer. This is a great opportunity to plan your professional journey for 2016. Here are some other good tips to note here for the upcoming year when it comes to internships.

Come up with a content calendar for your brand next year: We are all seeing the growing expectation for young professionals and students to be at the top of their game both in their internship/professional work, but also with their personal brand. Create a year timeline for your own brand and note the dates/times of possible chats you want to participate on Twitter, Blab, and other social media sites.

Set up a “Social Media Bucket List” for the New Year: Have you had a chance to talk to someone in the industry online and would want to meet them in person? Make a list of people you want to meet offline at a sporting event or conference and set this as a goal for the upcoming year.

Do take some time to be “offline.”: You do not want to burn yourself out, so it is key to make sure to take some time off to detox from the social, digital, and professional life you are building up. This will allow you to restore your energy and get a fresh start and approach to your work after the holidays.

In summary, while the holidays are a great time to catch up and prepare for the New Year, it’s also a time to spend with family and friends. Take a moment or two and set up a few goals you feel you can achieve over the holidays and then take some time to catch your breath. 2016 is going to be an exciting and wonderful year in sports.