5 Ways To Invest In Yourself — Sey Education Solutions

Written By Abena Sey

August 21, 2020

There are five areas in your life that need daily investment, and doing so creates a return in the forms of improving your health, increasing your knowledge in a particular domain, strengthening your relationships, enhancing your career outlook, and contributing to your community. Focusing on your health, skill building, relationships, career and community is required for your success. In fact, each area has impacts on the others, so it is integral for you to pay attention to each of them.

Investing in yourself is key! Investing in these areas simultaneously might feel like a daunting task, especially if your life is already very busy. As you read this, you may ask yourself “where do I even find the time to do this?” I want to assure you that with the right strategies in place, it is possible to achieve your development goals. It begins with a shift in your mindset. You have to want it badly enough to put in the work. Once you have prioritized your self-development, applying practical strategies to improve yourself in these areas will result in your progress. Here are some ideas to help you begin to invest in your health, knowledge, relationships, career and your community.

1 - Invest In Your Health

Identify your health and wellness goals, and start with one that you can begin immediately. Next, decide what actions you can take right away to work towards your wellness. For example, if you want to incorporate more movement, start with adding a 20-minute walk to your day. Prioritize these twenty minutes as time for your health and wellness. Challenge yourself to be consistent with this plan for 21 days. Once you have succeeded in this challenge, you will feel inspired to continue the work to achieve your wellness goals. Start off with a small, measurable, and achievable goal for your health, and add to your goal as you progress.

2 - Increase Your Knowledge

Increasing your knowledge in a particular skill will first require an investment of your time. Start by identifying what you would like to learn. Is it learning more about financial literacy? Perhaps you have a hobby that you would like to turn into a business? Maybe you would like to learn another language? If you want to learn a new skill, all you have to do is look for the resources. We are so fortunate to live in a time when technology opens up the global market. At the click of a button, you can have access to a variety of free resources to gain skills in any area you desire. All that is required of you is an investment of your time to learn as much as you can from these free resources. If you want to gain expertise in an area, however, it will require an investment of your money. Free resources can give you a good start for developing a skill, but you can only go so far with free information. Decide to invest financially in your self-development by taking a class, buying books with the information you need, or investing in coaching. Choose wisely, vet these paid resources, and give it your all.

3 - Strengthen Your Relationships

When it comes to strengthening your relationships, I believe that the same principle I previously discussed applies - identify your relationship goals and start by implementing one action at a time. For instance, if you want to prioritize spending quality time together, start by scheduling a specific day and time to achieve this. Or, you may need to form a new habit that will strengthen the relationship, such as returning phone calls or messages, or making calls to get caught up with someone you haven’t heard from in a long time. Making small gestures like these show that you care about the relationship. You will reap the benefits from making these small investments of time and effort in your relationships. The positive results are reciprocal.

4 - Invest In Your Career

There are a few ways to invest in your career. The first thing to do is decide on your career goals, and then make a plan for how to achieve them. I once heard that your current job is your training ground. I believe in this philosophy and practice it daily. Even if you are not where you want to be career-wise, there are great professional skills that you can develop right where you are. Some examples of these skills include leadership, communication, collaboration, creativity, problem-solving, organization, and sales. There are other marketable skills that you can develop while on the job. Don’t be afraid to put in some extra work to attain the skills you need to achieve your future career goals. Learn from everyone and every situation you experience on the job. Learn leadership strategies from your boss. Take note of the strategies that you would use as a leader, and disregard the strategies that don’t work with your leadership style. I would also repeat my advice on investing in building your knowledge. Inquire about your organization's professional development programs and how you can take advantage of them to grow in your field. Keep your eyes on the prize, work hard, but also know when it is time to move on and grow forward from your position.

5 - Invest In Your Community

Investing in your community can take the forms of volunteering in an organization, doing your part to ensure the cleanliness and safety of your community, and showing kindness to others. BE A GOOD NEIGHBOUR. Your participation in your community benefits you and your neighbour, and these simple acts will result in a beautiful and thriving community. In all that you do, think of others. This investment in kindness contributes to a caring community. I would also say that you can contribute to your digital community in the same way. Share what you know with your professional learning network, and practice showing support by sharing anything that you learned which you feel would benefit others in your network.

Still feeling overwhelmed? Take baby steps. You may choose to challenge yourself monthly to focus on one area of your life at a time and build on this. Remember, choose one aspect in the category that you would like to improve upon. When you focus on one specific goal and one or two action items at a time, you will be motivated by your progress to stay the course. Realizing your dreams of self-development is well within reach. Set your goals, and make a plan to achieve them. Believe in yourself and your dreams of becoming better.