As the year draws to a close, many people have already begun to ponder what they want to include on their list of New Year’s resolutions.
Some people may want to lose a little weight, acquire a new skill or pick up an exciting hobby. Others may seek ways to lower their stress levels. A number of people could be interested in planning their retirement or in seeking Federal Disability Retirement benefits due to the difficulties they are facing with a serious medical condition.
If you are an employee of the federal government, now would be the time to sit down and review all that you have accomplished this past year. Once you have finished this task, you can begin setting your goals and considering your resolutions for 2015.
A Few Suggestions for Federal Workers
Federal employees face countless struggles and obstacles every day – regardless of the positions they hold.
In January 2014, one of the associate consultants at Corner Alliance – an independent company created to “help government leaders get things done even when circumstances present various challenges” – listed five New Year’s resolutions which she considered to be helpful to federal workers. The list included goals such as:
- Learning to say no
- Enjoying vacation time
- Revisiting your development plan
- Being more receptive and comfortable with feedback
- Giving back.
While there are an unlimited number of resolutions federal workers could make for the upcoming year, here are 10 that are worthy of being on any federal worker’s New Year’s resolution list:
- Make plans for your retirement.
- Set up a private savings or IRA account or participate in the Thrift Savings Plan to help you save money.
- Enroll for specific federal health and other benefits.
- Create a flexible spending account.
- Get a thorough medical checkup by your doctor.
- Take action through diet, exercise and lifestyle changes to improve your health.
- Go on vacation at least once during the upcoming year.
- Set aside regular time out of your busy schedule to spend time with family.
- Review or update your estate planning.
- Take time to volunteer and give back to others less fortunate.
Adding the above to your 2015 New Year’s resolutions will help you start 2015 on the right foot. Many of these resolutions are also geared towards helping you to reduce stress levels and allowing you to maintain balance in your life. These are both keys for any employee – particularly federal employees.
The Benefit of Making New Year’s Resolutions
When an individual makes a New Year’s resolution, what he or she is actually doing is making a decision and vocalizing the intention to accomplish certain objectives and goals.
Setting fresh goals for the upcoming year can be extremely beneficial as it helps give a person purpose, allows him or her to focus on specific tasks and provides a great sense of accomplishment when the goals are met.
For those federal employees and others who may be in need of a little assistance with setting goals, USA.gov has links to various government websites you can access.
Please call our office today to schedule a free consultation to see if you qualify for Federal Disability Retirement.
