Investing in yourself is really important. You can’t always rely on employers, or your family to be the ones that are proactive about developing you in the ways that you need.
Both your family and your employer can offer guidance, and each in their own way will shape you and your experiences. But what are your goals? What do you want for you and how are you going to achieve investing in yourself?
Investing in yourself
Spend that training budget
I am pretty sure that most places of work will have outlined a proportion of the annual budget to staff training, but getting them to actually spend that money can be a challenge.
A previous employer I worked for used to (and probably still does) actively promote that each employee has a £2k budget per year for training. Well, in two and a half years with them I didn’t go on one course even though I regularly came up with a list I thought would be beneficial to me.
If I was to find myself in that situation again, I’ll know to really kick up a stink and make sure I am properly invested in and hold companies to account for their promises.
Identify your skills gap
After graduation when I was desperately trying to get my break in marketing, I identified that skills in Adobe Photoshop was a desired skill on several job adverts. I Googled courses and found that I could do a six-week evening class at the local college.
It cost me about £80 but was well worth it and asides from providing me with some new skills that I continue to use today, it also showed prospective and future employers that I can, and do, take initiative. It’s also a sure fire way to be investing in yourself.
But remember any course or new skill that will benefit your employer to ensure they pay for it.
Your health is your business, be kind to yourself
- Utilise your annual leave and make sure to give yourself time off
- Take that yoga class (if you want to)
- Eat well (cakes allowed)
- Do whatever it takes to energise your body and mind.
Give Back
This might be a weird one to put on this list but I truly believe giving back can contribute very positively when investing in yourself.
How many New Years resolution lists involve volunteering, and/or donating more to charity when an individual is reflecting? We all seem to be constantly seeking new ways of how to better ourselves and become more wholesome people.
I also think it’s a lot about getting involved in local (and national) causes whose mission aims to correct things that maybe you feel passionate about supporting.
For example, for almost as long as I have developed any kind of awareness about the environment, littering is honestly one of my biggest pet peeves and it seems to be getting worse. So by chance last year, I happened to stumble across a local conservation group of volunteers, organised by the council, who restore some of the streams, woodland and natural habitat in our local community.
I also am always keeping an eye out for further opportunities to litter pick and tidy up local parks and public spaces. For me it just means I can put action to my words and get involved, as opposed to just getting annoyed about things.
Is investing in yourself important to you?
Until next time x
