3-minute read - enough time to switch off from that work project and enjoy your coffee ☕
We have our personal bucket lists (jumping out of planes or getting married, whatever floats your boat) but what about our professional bucket lists? These can be just as important as our personal ones and there’s so much you can achieve in a lifetime.
We wish we could set out the ultimate professional bucket list, but instead - let’s start slow and steady with our top 10 things that every professional should be able to tick off their bucket list.
#1 Deliver a presentation
Public speaking is hard, but delivering a presentation to your colleagues is harder… Ticking this one off the list is a huge achievement and one to be celebrated. Don’t put it off - it can be rewarding to get over the fear and also talk about something meaningful at work!
#2 Work from a cool remote location (or maybe even relocate)
Beach café? Chalet? Bar? Rooftop? There are stranger (and cooler) places you can work. Everybody should experience remote working at least once in their life, and if you can and want to - relocate to a new location. It doesn’t even have to be another country. It can be another office where you can explore your surroundings and meet new people. Although, we wouldn’t say no to working in a beach café…
#3 Host an event
Before you start stressing, we know that events can feel overwhelming - but, they don’t need to be as complicated as you may think. Running a roundtable, a dinner, or even professional drinks can be a great start before hosting your own event!
#4 Get a promotion
Nothing else needs to be said - this just has to be completed on your professional bucket list before you retire!
#5 Your first pay rise
Not only is it a huge pat on the back for excellent work, but it is also an indicator that you’re starting to progress up the career ladder - it usually accompanies a promotion: two birds with one stone.
#6 Bag a bonus
And *disclaimer* treat yourself with it. We all love to be money conscious, but make sure you enjoy your bonus, too.
#7 Run a meeting
Similar to running a presentation, you should ensure that you run a meeting (or a few if possible) during your professional career. Not only are these a great way to hone your speaking skills before delivering a presentation, but they can help you across a lot of elements of your role, as well as give you exposure to the wider business.
#8 Get an award (or special recognition)
Most organisations have internal awards, and getting special recognition for the work that you’ve done feels good - and looks good on the CV!
#9 Become a mentor
Management isn’t for everybody - and that’s OK! But, mentorship is a great middle-ground and is nowhere near as intense as management can sometimes be.
Becoming a mentor is enriching for your professional career and it also gives you a deeper purpose beyond the day-to-day of your role. You don’t have to be a mentor to a ton of people, either. It could be one individual who you help - it can still be incredibly beneficial.
#10 Support a cause
Whether it’s a fun run for charity, or a bake sale to support a local cause - doing this in your professional life can be beneficial not just for the company you work for (or maybe by this point, you’ll be a business owner yourself..!) but it’s also a way to add value to what you’re already doing.
Work doesn’t have to be as two-dimensional as it can sometimes be made out to be, you can switch it up if you'd like to.
