Does every day often seem to be the same? You wake up, go to work, come home, and repeat. Life can be so busy sometimes. But let me ask you a question, what are you doing to invest in yourself? Do you take the time to learn and develop yourself as a person?
It is a common saying that the best time to invest was yesterday. When setting up IRAs and other investments, the younger you investing start the better. The more time put in essentially means more returns. What if the same could be said for yourself? Think of yourself as an investment. The more time you invest into yourself the more return you will receive in the future. Invest 5% into your dreams and goals, and you will receive minimal returns. Invest 100% effort, and the returns will be much greater.
Where do I start? Try devoting 20 minutes a day doing something to improve yourself. This could be as simple as taking an online course in a subject interesting to you or more complicated such as learning how to code. Try something that you have always wanted to try but never quite found the time. I personally have begun to take 20 minutes a day to simply read. There are so many subjects to learn by simply just picking up a book. Instead of buying books from a store, I go to the library. I have found that going to the library saves money. Point being, investing in yourself does not have to cost you any money.
20 minutes a day does eventually add up. Those 20 minutes will be the equivalent of over 120 hours a year. But oftentimes, those 20 minutes can be lost to distractions. The world is full of these distractions, social media being one of them. The average person uses social media for over 2 hours a day. That is over 700 hours a year. I personally have committed to limiting my use of social media. Over the past few months, I have deleted my social media apps on my phone, including Facebook and Instagram. Now, I need to be on my computer to use these platforms. I have found that this is a more efficient use of my time. For others, watching television can be another distraction. While I am not saying to limit television or even social media completely, perhaps considering limiting it to take the time to further invest in yourself.
How long is your commute to work? Perhaps consider turning off the music and listening to podcasts or audiobooks that are educational, helping you to further achieve your goals.
Ultimately, it is important to consider that Rome was not built in a day. Creating and implementing your own personal daily routine takes time and effort. But remember, your daily routines either set yourself up for future success or possible failure. What you do today matters. What will your choice be?
About the Author
Lauren Holder is the Owner of Social Media By Lauren, a social media management company that specialized in the overall management and content curation of social media accounts for small businesses in Southwest Missouri.
Before founding Social Media by Lauren in 2017, Lauren graduated from Missouri State University with her degree in Public Relations and a Minor in Entrepreneurial Studies. She then went on to manage a local boutique where her love for social media management began to grow. Lauren then went on to work for The Arc of the Ozarks for 3.5 years as a Program Manager and ultimately, the Marketing and Development Coordinator. She is currently managing her business while pursuing a master’s degree in clinical mental health. Lauren has served as the Publicity Chair, Newsletter, Website Design Chair, and Marketing Chair and is currently the President Elect for the AWC Springfield, Missouri Chapter Board of Directors.
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