Are you someone who likes to continually develop but there are times when firstly the budget isn’t there or secondly (and probably more frequently) you do not have the time to entertain it. At Turlon, we are one of the leading providers of project, program and portfolio management training and part of that is to develop individuals with regard to stakeholder management, personal growth and engagement skills. Very often, when working with our client, we often encounter the ‘not enough time to do it’ situation. This article is about highlighting some of the low-cost, quick and effective ways to still do self-development without the budget or the time.
Pick up a new hobby. Beyond just you’re usual favourite things to do, do something new. Maybe a new sport you can learn? Examples could be rock climbing, football, canoeing, skating, etc. It doesn’t need to be a passion but something that is new and is exciting. Try it for a few weeks and then move on.
Create a room for YOU. Your environment sets the mood and tone for you. If you are living in an environment that suits your temperament, you are going to be inspired every day. This may be about moving items around on your desk, changing the furniture layout, etc. The end result? An environment that you can relish and enjoy.
Overcome your fears. All of us have fears. Fear of uncertainty, fear of public speaking, fear of risk … all our fears keep us in the same position and prevent us from growing. Recognise this and try to tackle them. For example if you have a fear of public speaking, take on a short assignment that will tackle this. Addressing it helps me to grow.
Wake up early. Waking up early has been acknowledged by many as a way to improve your productivity and your quality of life. When you wake up early, your mindset is already set and ready to embrace the day ahead.
Have a weekly exercise routine. Develop a routine that suits you, jog 3 times a weeks, go to the local park and watch a friendly game of football, do an activity (rock-climbing) that you normally wouldn’t do, etc. The point here is to have routine that suits you.
Get out of your comfort zone. Being too comfortable doesn’t help us grow – it makes us stagnate. What is your comfort zone? Do you stay in most of the time? Do you keep to your own space when out with other people? Shake your routine up. Do something different. Expose yourself and see what happens.
Ask for feedback. As much as we try to develop, feedback is the basis of development. Approach some friends, family or work colleagues that will no bias and can give their feedback objectively.
Stay focused with to-do lists. Stay focused with the to-do list otherwise unproductive behaviours can seep in.
Learn from people who you admire. Think about people you admire. These could be people in the public domain or some personal friends. These people reflect certain qualities you want to have for yourself too. What are the qualities in them you want to have for yourself? How can you acquire these qualities?
Quit a bad habit and cultivate a new one. Are there any bad habits you can lose? And likewise are there any good habits to create. For example reading books, waking up early, exercising, etc. Is there any other new habit you can cultivate to improve yourself?
Submitted by our expert Project Management Tutor, Liam Dillon
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