Authors: Kyle Crooke, MBA & Precious C. Price, MS
As recent graduates who both recently relocated, and are beginning to travel frequently for work, we realize that thousands of other professionals are walking (in this case, flying!) in our shoes.
Given our current experience in relocation and travel-bound careers, we’d like to provide you with 7 key insights that will help you transition into your new opportunity. Accounting for your professional, personal, and social wellbeing during your transition is crucial with the level of uncertainty you are gearing up to encounter.
Use these insights to become intentional in your approach to transition and the consequent habits that form!
- Relocate a couple of weeks early in order to settle in and create a solid foundation for your upcoming changes in work/responsibility. This will allow you to develop a sense of comfort in your residence and translate that comfort to the other changes you’re about to encounter.
- Engage one work colleague and one non-work colleague (i.e. a LinkedIn connection) every week, either via telephone or in person. This will provide you with opportunities to learn, grow, and connect with others, which will open up additional opportunities for your advancement.
- Dedicate at least 15–20 minutes, every day, to physical exercise. Whether you’re confined to a hotel room, a tiny gym, or a quick walk outside — don’t underestimate the power of moving your body and the impact this has on your productivity.
- Dedicate at least 15 minutes a day to continued learning, whether in the form of audio books or online webinars/courses. Like physical activity, you can leverage continued learning to enhance your productivity and open up new opportunities for your career and your social life.
- Get into the habit of preparing your meals for the entire week. Being in a career field that constantly requires you to be on the move, on a flight, and in a hotel room can have negative impacts on your health and eating habits. Through preparing most of your meals beforehand, not only will you have more money in your pocket, but you’ll feel better about your health.
- Keep your extended network updated about the progress you’re making in the city. If you’re doing well and getting adjusted easily, these are the individuals that will support you and cheer you on. On the other hand, if you feel yourself falling off or needing extra encouragement, your network will be the support that can and will offer ways to pick yourself back up.
- Find your niche or stress relief early on. Whether it be the gym, cooking, yoga, or a simple walk in the park. Figure out what brings you back down to earth after a long week, and recharges your mental and emotional energy. Fit time specifically into your schedule to do just that.
Transitioning into a career field which, quite literally, shakes your entire life can be difficult. As recent graduates, we must learn to take the many uncertainties we will encounter by the reigns and use them to propel our professional, personal, and social life forward.
Kyle Crooke recently relocated to Atlanta, GA, and transitioned to a consulting role within Cognizant’s organization change management practice. Based on client work and frequent travel, he has developed habits and behaviors that allow him to engage clients effectively, manage his time efficiently, and balance professional, personal, and social goals, both on the road and at home. Through his website Kyle provides content, consulting, and collaboration offerings to help professionals with their business needs. Kyle is confident the insights in this article can provide you with a strong foundation as well!
Precious C. Price recently received her MS in Information Systems degree from the Kelley School of Business in May of 2018. She has relocated to Atlanta, GA to begin her career as a Consulting Analyst with Accenture. In addition to her role with Accenture, Precious provides professional development services via her personal website, serves as a Contributor for 247Insight.com, and remains actively involved with the Greater Atlanta community. With such a hefty amount of responsibility, Precious uses the insights above to ensure structure and order remain a priority during this transition post-graduation.
Photo Credit: http://www.wellspringconsulting.net/social-sector-insights/2017/5/25/moving-forward-in-uncertain-times
