Goal Setting for 2024 - A new year, a new start

A new year is upon us again, a time to reflect on the last one and ask ourselves what we want to achieve in 2024. This is not an article about unrealistic and unattainable New Year’s Resolutions, rather a time to take stock of what is important to you in your personal and professional life.

As OTs you are well aware of the benefits of goal-setting practices. Having something to work towards can improve focus, give purpose and increase confidence. Setting goals for the coming year in both a professional and personal capacity could lead to more opportunities, achievements, job satisfaction and improved wellbeing. Here are some ideas to get you started in 2024.

Learn OT History Do you know when the practice of occupational therapy began? Do you know who the trailblazing OTs of the twentieth century are? Knowing the history of occupational therapy can have a real impact on how you perceive the practice and it can inform how you approach your role as an OT. There is a great Twitter account called OT History Matters that shares some amazing historical facts about OT, follow them at @HistoryOT to get your daily fix of OT history.

WFOT

Want to get more involved in raising the profile of the profession and fostering more international communications with OTs? Perhaps you should consider becoming a member of the World Federation of Occupational Therapy (WFOT). Becoming a member of the WFOT can open up doors into research projects, funding, educational programmes, international networking and member discounts for attending conferences across the world. Find out more at WFOT.org.

Write an article

Have you always toyed with the idea of putting pen to paper to tell others about the work you do? Sharing your experiences and reflecting on your practice can benefit others as well as you. Writing about your role can be a cathartic experience, allowing you to process what you have learned through your practice and share your knowledge with other OTs, it’s also great for your CPD portfolio. Why not get in touch with us to share your work by emailing Ros@OTToday.co.uk.

Join an OT group

Joining an OT group can be very beneficial for a number of reasons. Being part of an OT group can open up great networking opportunities, it can provide a supportive community that can act as a sounding board for help and advice on all things OT. Consider joining a specialist section RCOT group for expert knowledge and resources to support your practice. If you are a student, get involved with your university’s OT group, if they don’t have one, consider starting one yourself.

Start a project

If you have been thinking about starting a project to help a group of patients that you work with, there is no better time than now. Make a plan, discuss it with the relevant powers that be and put the wheels in motion to make it happen. Or, if you have been considering starting a blog, or an OT-specific social media account, take that first step and launch it now. You have no idea how many people you could help by taking that first step.

Take time for you

In order to take care of others you must first take care of yourself. It is vitally important to look after your own physical health and wellbeing. Workplace stress and personal demands can take their toll on all of us, so it is important to ensure you take time for yourself, whether that is going for a run, reading a book, having a bath, or catching up with friends and having a glass of wine to destress. Life can get very busy, so make sure you set aside time for you every week.

Step out of your comfort zone

If you are not doing something that scares you a little, or pushing the limits of what you think you are capable of, you will never reach your full potential. This should be the year that you should step out of your comfort zone and put yourself forward for something that scares you. Push yourself professionally and look to take on more responsibility to forward your career, you will soon realise how much you are capable of.

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