“I wish I could, but I don’t have time.” How many times have most of us said these exact words? It can be hard to make time for the activities we need to do, let alone what we want to do.
In the age of hybrid and remote work, unlimited digital contact with one another and cell phones that never leave our sides, it’s easy to fill every moment of the day with the tasks you need to accomplish and the people who are requesting your attention.
It can be natural to put professional development on the back burner, but statistics show that people who prioritize time for professional development and continuous learning make more money, have greater career fulfillment and receive more promotions than their counterparts. (This data comes from sources like the U.S. Bureau of Labor and LinkedIn.)
Many employees intrinsically understand this. In fact, a survey by The Workforce Institute found that on average, 44% of employees wish they could spend more time developing new skills. The numbers were even higher for Millennials at 47% and Gen Z at 50%.
So how can you find time for the professional development you know you need? Here are three sneaky ways to do it:
Use your commute. If you’re commuting in a car, on a bicycle, on foot or via public transportation, find an audiobook, a podcast or some other professional development resource that you can listen to during your commute. If you work from home and don’t have a commute, carve out “commute” time for yourself. Sit down at your desk 10 minutes early with a cup of your favorite coffee and listen to, watch or read something that applies to a leadership skill that you want to develop.
Find an accountability partner. Identify a friend or colleague, someone who you enjoy spending time with and respect, who also wants to work on their own professional development goals. Challenge yourself to meet in person (or virtually) once a month for lunch. Use this time to discuss what you’ve learned. Knowing that you have a meeting coming up where you’ll be held accountable will create a sense of urgency that working on your own will not provide. As a bonus, you’ll learn about an additional skill from your partner as they report on their learning.
Start small. Although you may feel like there are many people who need or even seem to dominate your time, ultimately you are the only person in control of your calendar. Start small by taking back the time you need for learning. Begin by carving out just 35 minutes per week, or five minutes per day. Make sure this time is protected. Put it on your calendar and say that you’re not to be disturbed. Take that time to read, watch or listen to a learning resource, or to think about how that leadership skill plays out in your career. Once you start to make this time a habit, it will begin to come easily and begin to be one of the most important parts of your day. And you may find that you can stretch it to 10 minutes or more each day.
The big takeaway is that no one can give you the time. You have to reclaim it. And by finding small ways to commit to continuous learning, you will start to see shifts take place in your work and home life.
Competency