6 Perfect New Year Resolutions
That'll Make You A Better Journalist

6 Perfect New Year
Resolutions That'll Make
You A Better Journalist

Written by Soul Witness
🕒 January 03, 2019

With the new year comes talk of New Year Resolutions.

Whether you believe in them or not, it’s a good idea to set goals for yourself. Setting goals can help you dig deep to find motivation on those days you just want to throw up your hands and say “nope!”

So here are just a few simple goals you can strive for in this new year, particularly when it comes to your career in TV News:

1. BE MORE PREPARED.

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It’s very important to come in to work prepared. This helps tremendously when pitching story ideas! Our jobs are difficult because we have to know what’s happening not only locally, but nationwide, and even worldwide.

One tip to help you achieve this goal: get several different news apps, and choose to get notifications. Having a variety of sources gives you a broad range of breaking news and perspectives.

Also, subscribing to email newsletters that include top stories of the day, or top talkers, gives you a brief overview of which stories have already captured people’s interest.

2. BE MORE ORGANIZED.

This one starts at home. The more organized you are in your personal life, the more organized you’ll be at work.

Things like meal prepping, setting your clothes out the night before, keeping up with the dishes and cleaning, getting a planner, making to-do lists, can all add up to a more organized you!

Being organized at home can greatly cut down your “oh no! I can’t find my (insert item)” time, or that panicked feeling of “I’m gonna be late!”

If you’re someone who’s late to…everything… consider setting your clocks head by 10 to 15 minutes. Set alarms on your phone or reminders to leave by a certain time.

It sounds like a lot of work at first, but once you get a routine going it becomes easy like second nature.

3. BE MORE CREATIVE!

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This one is difficult no matter how long you’ve been in the biz, so you might as well embrace the challenge!

Look at your role model’s work. You look up to them for a reason! What do they do? How do they make their stories unique?

Am I saying be a copycat? No, certainly not, but you can be inspired by someone else. Then, you can add your own creative spin. Looking at still photography can also help get the creative juices flowing.

It’s all about angles and lighting. Sounds familiar, right?

4. FIND A MENTOR, OR BECOME ONE.

If you’re new to a station, find someone who has been there a while and ask them questions.

It can be someone who has done your job exactly, and worked their way up to their coveted position, or someone who has worked at the same station doing the same job for a decade. Either way, experience is knowledge, and knowledge is power.

Learn from those who have been through a lot, seen a lot, and have overcome a lot. If you’re a veteran at a station, take the newbie under your wing and have patience with them. Remember, we all started at the bottom.

5. BE THE LIGHT IN THE NEWSROOM!

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No, don’t install lamps at your desk.

I’m talking about being “the positive one” in the often negative newsroom environment. This goal may take some rrreeeaaalll determination at times.

It’s easy to get caught up in the gossip, the complaining, and the “shade throwing,” but all that does is keep the negative energy alive. It takes courage to speak up, but if you put a stop to those kinds of conversations, it will lead to a much happier workplace!

6. BE HEALTHY.

I’m not talking up your gym time by two hours every day, or only eating rice cakes and grilled chicken. I’m talking about being healthy mentally, emotionally, and physically.

This business can get pretty heavy pretty quickly. It can be chaotic, overwhelming, and flat out emotionally draining. During times like that, it’s important to remain professional and do your job, but then let it all go.

Mean comments, bad live shots, terrible events. Let it go. Start over fresh the next day. If you need to talk about something, talk about it. Call a friend, call a family member, call an anonymous hotline. Get it off your chest.

Also, make sure to unplug. We’re inundated with emails, calls, messages, notifications, and texts all day at work. When you get home or have a day off, get away from your phone and social media. Even if it’s just for an hour.

That leads to physical health. During that hour you could take a walk, go for a run or hike, go to the gym, do yoga. Just be active for a little bit. Activity increases endorphins which make you happy!

Happy New Year, and best wishes!! 🎊

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