A new year means new goals and resolutions. Resolutions also typically happen to fall into one of three categories: health, relationships and money. The good news is improving all three of these categories can help advance your career.



Below you’ll find three New Year’s Resolutions all executives should make for 2015.







1. Create better work/life balance.




“Work/life balance” may seem like a popular buzz word these days but it’s with good reason. Stress is the number one cause of several health problems and there’s a good chance that most of your stress comes from working too hard.



It may seem counterintuitive to start focusing more on your life instead of work, especially if you want to advance in your career. But consider this: health is the most important thing you have. In fact, if you don’t have it then you can’t work.



Large companies have noticed this too, especially with new “Play or Pay” healthcare laws that require them to provide basic healthcare options to all employees or else risk paying a penalty. Companies know just how much sick employees affect their bottom line and as a result have taken it upon themselves to start work/life balance initiatives within the company (ex. lunchtime workouts).



Furthermore, because they know how much sick employees cost them in healthcare and lost productivity, they will prefer the candidates who know how to take care of themselves.



People who take care of themselves are also generally better at building relationships which is essential regardless of whether you’re trying to get a promotion or find a new job.



So the next time you’re tempted to eat lunch at your desk consider either networking or going to the gym.





2. Build better relationships



Relationship building is the cornerstone of any career. You may have heard the popular saying, “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know” and nowhere is this more true than when you’re moving up in your career.



Whether you’re looking for a new job, wanting to move from an executive position to C-Level or just trying to knock your quarterly goals out of the ballpark, learning how to build solid relationships will get your there a lot faster than sheer willpower.



In 2015 make more of an effort to reach out to more people, attend more events or simply get to know your co-workers. You can use our guide to help you effectively build better relationships to advance your career.





3. Make more money.



Aside from health goals, financial goals are usually at the top of everyone’s New Year’s Resolutions. Below you’ll find the most common ways for execs to make more money as well as some helpful articles to make it happen.



Ask for a raise – Asking for a raise is a bit of an art form. We recommend reading our recent blogs "Are you ruining your chances of getting a raise?" and "Psychological Hacks to Give You an Edge When Asking for a Raise."



Get a promotion – Another way to make more money is to get a promotion. Again, this can also be a bit of an art form depending on the circumstances. Check out "3 Tips to Increase Your Chances of Getting a Promotion" to help you.