How to Fit Professional Growth Into Your Weekly Work Routine

How to Fit Professional Growth Into Your Weekly Work Routine Professional growth and development play integral parts in any professionals career. They  enables people to develop new skills, advance their qualifications, and become better employees. Last week we discussed why everyone needs a career growth strategy. So this week well cover how you can integrate that growth into your weekly work routine with a few simple steps. Read on to start improving yourself today! 1. Take a Skills Inventory Interestingly enough, the best way to move forward usually is to recognize where you are now. Step back and take inventory of the skills you currently possess. This is a great way to figure out where you are strong and weak professionally. Once you have a list written out, identify a few areas where you would like to self improve or learn more. 2. Talk With Someone in Your Field Youd be surprised just how invigorating sitting down with a colleague or professional in your field can be. Being able to bounce ideas off of someone and dive into a career discussion can be extremely rewarding. They may bring new developments to your attention, and you may do the same for them. This is also a great way to keep your network fresh, which could lead to new job opportunities. 3. Read a Book Some things never change. Books have been a source of information for over 1000 years, and with good reason. If youre looking to learn more about a topic within your career, theres almost certainly a book out there for it! Doing some quick research online can steer you towards great books within your field. 4. Attend a Conference If you have some cash to burn, this is one of the best ways to inspire you and completely recharge your motivation. Conferences are fantastic because they specialize in growth. You get the chance to learn in seminars and workshops, as well as network with hundreds of people all with a similar interest and career path. It can truly do wonders for your career. Just make sure you can foot the bill first! 5. Take an Online Course Colleges, companies, and corporations all offer online courses now. Its a great way to learn more, and in some cases, get certification on a specific product or platform. There is a wide variety in terms of price, so you can pay as much or as little as you want. Taking a course takes the accountability out of your hands, so you wont lose track if you try to follow course material on your own. A course is set up so you meet deadlines, and its guaranteed that youll learn something new! 6. Try Something New Each Week This piece of advice is simple, but not many people can say that they do this. Try doing something differently, working in a new way, or learning about something new. Taking a different approach can make a big difference. Its easy for your work to get stale if you do it the same day in and day out over time. Keep it fresh by continuing to broaden your horizons. Although this advice is vague, sometimes its best to interpret as you see fit! 7. Set Up Google Alerts As you may or may not know,  Google allows you to set search alerts based on pretty much anything. You can follow companies, celebrities, movies, music, technology, and more, or create your own custom alert. This is a great way to keep up on your own place of employment, as well as any other relevant people, places, or things within your field of work. Its also a great way to track any new job postings if you happen to be searching! 8. Sign Up for a Newsletter and/or Industry Publication In my opinion, this is one of the most convenient ways to keep expanding your knowledge and grow. There are many blogs, newsletters, e-books, and magazines out there. They all make great resources to learn and stay current. Subscribe to a few that seem appropriate to your interests, and start of the day by reading one or two stories or articles. It will help wake you up, and also get you thinking in the right direction for work. We hope this list helps you grow professionally and develop new skills! Feeling stuck in the same old routine can make almost any job feel stale. The best way to fight it is by continually learning and advancing your skills!