Although the holidays are behind us, a new semester is looming ahead. As we prepare for the upcoming spring, the concept of goalsetting can be a bit overwhelming. To keep it simple, here are a few suggestions on healthy goalsetting that won’t have you hiding in the bookstacks:
- Start Slow – Take your time as you transition out of holiday mode. Begin the semester by simply showing up the first day, getting to know your professors, and connecting with your fellow students.
- Begin with an I AM Statement – Instead of listing every single task you’d like to accomplish over the semester, begin with a single I AM statement that will keep you grounded when the To Do list starts to fill up. Some examples of healthy I AM statements are:
- I AM committed to getting to my classes on time.
- I AM focused on crafting a CV/resume that best exemplifies my skills.
- I AM disconnecting from my LIS studies once a week for self care/rest/leisure.
- Keep Your Goals Realistic – When setting goals, it’s important to understand who we are on an individual level – including the areas of life in which we struggle. If you are a night owl, setting an intention to wake up at 5am to catch up on work may not be a realistic goal. Instead, try setting a goal to use 1 or 2 of those PM hours to get work done so that you can sleep in.
How do you plan to ease into the new semester?
What’s your I AM Statement?
Name one of your realistic goals that aligns with your true self.
Feel free to share your answers in the comments below!
Kellee Forkenbrock is an MLIS student at the University of Iowa (May 2023). She also works full time as the Public Services Librarian for the North Liberty Library (North Liberty, Iowa), assisting with the management of part-time staff as well as serving as the community engagement liaison for the library. Kellee has spoken about library outreach and engagement on behalf of organizations such as the Association for Rural & Small Libraries (ARSL), the Entrepreneurship and Libraries Conference (ELC), EBSCO, and the American Library Association (ALA) Conference. In addition to pursuing her MLIS, Kellee is also in pursuit of a certification in Digital Humanities. Her twenty-plus years of professional experience includes project management, public relations, and multimedia advertising. Kellee is active in her community, having lent her service to the Iowa City Public Library Board of Trustees, Girls on the Run of Eastern Iowa, and currently as an Ambassador for the Iowa City Area Business Partnership as well as a UNESCO City of Literature Board Member. Read more about Kellee on her LinkedIn profile.
Categories: advice
HLS 