Making Time for Career Development
Make the Decision
Making a conscious decision to set time aside for regular work towards success in your career is a big step. Without it however, it is easy for our day-to-day lives to consume us with busy-work, divert us from putting forth a consistent effort, and drive us further away from attaining the career progress we’re after.
Hal Elrod makes a compelling argument in his book The Miracle Morning for making time by becoming an early riser. Elrod argues that if you can actually commit to being an earlier riser, then you not only carve out time that is lower in number of distractions (because most of your world is still asleep), but the sense of achievement gained by selfishly focusing on your own development will set a positive tone for each day.
The chain reaction that ensues, according Elrod, is an improved outlook on the day as well as enhanced productivity and performance in other activities throughout the rest of your day.
Different Strokes for Different Folks
Maybe early rising for you – doesn’t quite look Elrod’s Miracle Morning with time for quiet contemplation and exercise but in rising early you can get to work early without having to compete with rush-hour traffic.
In doing so, the time you would have otherwise spent in bumper-to-bumper traffic can be spent in your office or nearby coffee shop to read up on a work related topic before the busy work day begins.
Rising early isn’t necessarily the solution for everyone, some folks can fit professional development into their lunch hour by getting in extra reps on a procedure required by their current position.
For others, working on their own professional development is the carrot on a stick they need to get them through a long work day, while other will have the energy and discipline to work towards their professional aspiration after tucking their kids into bed.
The important thing is to have a professional development plan and that your plan includes a regular schedule of study and practice in professional skills improvement.
