8 women on the one thing they’re doing differently at work this year

An illustration of a woman in a yoga pose surrounded by work concepts such as a laptop and a calendar

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8 women on the one thing they’re doing differently at work this year

By Lauren Geall

4 years ago

1 min read

Looking to make a change to the way you approach your work in 2022? Check out these insights from eight women on the one thing they’re going to do differently this year.

While there’s no need to overhaul your whole working life come January (we’re looking at you, ‘new year, new me’ discourse), it’s a great time to reflect on what you’ve done over the last 12 months and start making small, positive changes that will set you up for success as the year goes on.

Indeed, with the chaos of the pandemic leaving many of us struggling to adapt to working from home and set boundaries, taking the time to sit back and unpick what is (and isn’t) working could make a big difference to your overall wellbeing and happiness at work – something many of us are striving for as we move into 2022.

So, to inspire you to make these changes as we move through January, we spoke to eight women about the things they’re going to do differently at work this year. From approaching emails differently to speaking up about their mental health, here’s what they had to say. 


Spend time outside

“In 2022 I’m going to try and work in an outside space as much as possible by taking my iPad out to areas such as parks, walled gardens and the reservoir located near where I live. I find that being in nature really fuels my creativity.”

Ann, 35, Edinburgh

Schedule creative periods

“I’m actively scheduling more writing, creative and learning and development time this year. I’ve been through the entire year’s calendar and blocked out days, half days AND refresh and recharge weeks.”

Taz, 47, Lincolnshire 

An illustration of an open email on a laptop screen

Credit: Getty

Slow down

“This year, I’m taking a minimum of 1-2 business days to reply to non-urgent emails. I’ve created a false sense of urgency for myself and previously ended up replying to emails within a couple of hours. It wasn’t sustainable, so this year I’m forcing myself to take my time.”

Phoebe, 25, London

Seize each moment

“Over the next 12 months, I’m going to make a conscious effort to trust my instincts and make quick decisions. As we continue to move through lots of turbulence and change, shifting is inevitable, so we’ve just got to grab an idea, run with it and seize the moment.”

EJ, 39, Manchester 

Create opportunities

“I’m going to try and be more proactive about creating my own opportunities in 2022. The stress of the pandemic and working from home left me in a bit of a rut last year, but I want to put myself out there more and get stuck in.”

Sarah, 24, London

Have more fun

“While I often tell my hypnotherapy clients to try and have more fun and freedom when it comes to creation – be it in life or business – I realised in 2021 that I hadn’t been having as much fun and my boundaries had lapsed. This year, I’m making a conscious effort to change that by being more creative in my daily life.”

Jessica, 38, London 

A woman sat next to a speech bubble

Credit: Getty

Speak up

“In 2022, I’ve decided I’m not going to stay silent when it comes to my mental health at work. If I’m feeling lonely, unhappy or underappreciated I’ll be telling my boss just how I’m feeling, as I discovered in 2021 that staying silent never helps anyone.”

Ellie, 26, London 

Enjoy screen-free time

“This year, I’m implementing a ‘no electronics’ rule for at least an hour a day (possibly increasing to one day a week) to refresh my brain cells. I tend to notice how much of a difference screen-free time makes during the holidays but always seem to forget afterwards.”

Lavinia, 34, Leeds 

Images: Getty

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