Five Steps to Build Your Professional Growth Plan
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The traditional 9-to-5, five-day work week can leave professionals feeling perpetually busy but stuck in their current roles. That’s why making a concerted effort to carve out time and energy to acquire new skills demonstrates tremendous initiative.
Here are 5 steps to outlining your professional development success plan while balancing your busy schedule.
1. Set a clear direction (What do you want to celebrate?)
In three months from now, what would you love to celebrate? Can you envision yourself learning a new skill, applying it at work, and positioning yourself for advancement? Are you looking to change careers?
Start by setting this intention and the steps involved in pursuing it. They could be as simple as researching the top skill in a job you covet, determining the best path to learning and practicing this skill, or figuring out how to showcase this new ability to potential employers, whether in the form of a demo reel, portfolio, or a bolstered resume and LinkedIn profile.
2. Map out your current schedule
There are 168 hours in a week. You can’t craft an effective development plan without understanding where you’re currently spending your time. So what does your week look like? Fill a spreadsheet with the hours you spend on everything you do, such as sleep, meal prep, work, personal projects, and binging the new series your friend says is must-see TV.
3. Draft a mock week for your new pursuit
What is involved in learning and practicing your new skill and how much time do these initiatives require? Whatever the answer is, add a few hours. Learning with the added pressure of limited time will dampen your experience and overall development.
4. Free up time for learning
Looking at your current schedule, what areas can you reduce your time to allow for the opportunity to reinvest in yourself? We’ve decided to hit pause on episode 3 of The Perfect Couple — just kidding, who needs a full eight hours of sleep?
5. “Little drops of water make the mighty ocean”
The final and most important step is to stay the course. With your new schedule for success, you’ve freed up the time required to achieve your new skill goal, and while it may mean a busy few months ahead, know that each day you’re closer to reaching the goal you set.