We all know how stressful 2020 was for all of us… The pandemic surprised us all by wiping all of our expectations for an exciting new year off the board. Some were traumatized to such an extent that a new trend emerged, urging people to shout “Jumanji!” as the clock hit midnight on December 31st, in hopes it would free us from the infamous board game, and the world would go back to normal once again. To say the least, new year’s resolutions were the least of our worries this year. However, there are many things you can commit to if you vowed to move forward this year. Here’s a list of our top 5:

1.Join a tech course

The year of home office taught us that technological skills can literally save our lives. If you wish to spice up your resume or broaden your expertise, it’s never too late to get into coding, UI/UX design, data engineering, or application development. Codecademy is one of the fastest-growing free providers, their courses range from web development to data science, and they even offer a free quiz if you are not sure where to start. Another open-source platform is edX, founded by no less than Harvard and MIT in 2012. You can choose from data and computer science, business, engineering, and design courses of granted quality. Your level of expertise does not limit the number of courses to choose from: if you are already a master of your profession, you can still find some exciting new lessons to check, they also offer online executive education programs. For our Hungarian followers, xLabs offers a 6-week long online Bootcamp starting in April this year. The topic is the good old UX design and the course language is Hungarian, and guarantees to kick off your digital education journey with theoretical and practical modules combined. If you are interested in other fields we would recommend checking the portfolio of other Hungarian providers like Greenfox academy, Codecool, or Dmlab,  who also have a wide range of programming and IT-related courses.

2.Get a planner

Whether you prefer paper based or online calendars, there are several ways to kickstart your productivity in 2021. One of the top tools you can use is Google Calendar, especially if you’re looking for something easy to handle and free. You can also sign up for Asana if you’re more into lists and tracking your progress. Paper based planners can contribute to relieving stress and anxiety, and offer a great free time activity for stationery lovers as well. Moleskine makes various simple designs, but you can also support a small business if you want to personalise your booklets (Linda Tong planners, Life of a Medic and Steph Pase Planners are our favourite picks). Further discovering the software your company already uses is also a great choice, as it combines team management activities with your personal agenda.

3.Stay active

Working on yourself is the best work you can do. It is no news that regular physical activity can elongate your life, boost your happiness and productivity, and also keep you happy. As going to the gym and hiring a personal trainer is no option now, you might feel trapped.  If you find it hard to start exercising, we recommend you find the sport you enjoy the most and download some apps to keep you motivated. If running is your preference, both Nike Run Club and Adidas’ Running can give you a sense of community, while also tracking your progress. Zombies Run is a great alternative if you find yourself bored during your runs. The SWEAT app by Kayla Itsines gives you personalized plans so that you can be active at the comfort of your home, combining high-intensity interval training and circuit workouts. For a more chill approach, Yoga with Adriene offers free yoga classes and 30-day challenges, which are also beginner-friendly. Here at IseeQ, we like to spend some time in nature, may it be forest trails or our local parks. Geocaching is our best buddy if we wish to add a more definite purpose to our walks.

4. Follow new trends

Social media platforms and articles are two of your best choices if you want to update your knowledge in a particular field. Twitter is one of the best platforms if you want to keep up with tech-savvy accounts. If you’re wondering who to follow, we recommend checking out our favorite tech and business-related influencers: look up Naval for entrepreneurial and inspirational thoughts, and Andreessen Horowitz for the most interesting article recommendations. Paul Graham posts thought-provoking ideas and Bob Martin is one of our favorites for coding tips and tricks- he also did a coding advent countdown you might be interested in. Our personal resolution was to step up our social media game, so make sure to follow us as well, and we will make sure it will be worth your while.

5.Switch your brain off

If your promise to yourself is as simple as not being so hard on yourself, you can still engage in new activities that are in no way connected to your work or workouts. Gaming is one of the most enjoyable free time activities that helps you unwind and break free from the boundaries of our world. Cyberpunk 2077 is one of the latest PC gaming hits you can start- though the reviews are controversial (we might elaborate on that another time), you will certainly enjoy the graphics and the detailedness. After the Fall and Aragami 2 are just two of the most awaited games expected to debut early 2021, and Nintendo is also preparing for a big launch this year… Looks like 2020 left the gaming industry untouched, and the growth is expected to continue.

All in all, if you’re lucky enough to worry about your goals instead of your health, we encourage you to take the leap and start something new! Right now, we are in this together, but the second we get out, we are sure your new skills will count. The team of IseeQ wishes you a happy, healthy and productive new year!