Hints and Tips
DEVELOP YOUR OWN SKILLS!
Find the time to learn new things and develop your own skills!
Hi guys, I am Julien Rubio, third year of the Jameson International Graduate Programme. I spent two years in Mexico as my first placement and I am now based in Manila in the Philippines working as Brand Development Executive.
Today, let’s talk about self-development which is an important step to distill your own success. Just as important as the learning itself I find is managing your time to free up space in your schedule to do the learning. Particularly in these challenging times it is great to focus on investing in self-development.
I have always loved to learn new things but sometimes it could be challenging to dedicate time to it. In addition, the position of Brand Ambassador is irregular in terms of working hours which does not help to find the time to learn. So, that’s why, today, I am going to share some tips that I have applied to my personal life to make sure I have the time I need to develop myself and learn new things.
Today we are fortunate to have access of plenty of platforms offering courses to develop personal and professional skills, anywhere, anytime, on any device! One of the strengths of the Jameson Graduate Programme is that we are supported throughout the programme to invest time in our self-development. Here are some steps that work for me in taking control of & prioritizing self-development.
STEP #1- What do I want/ need to learn
There are different areas of learning, you may want to develop some knowledges in order to perform better in your day-to-day job or learn how to play a new instrument or both. So, you must first define your learning goal and then your learning path to achieving that goal. I usually map it out every month and tend to commit to no more than three topics at a time.
Here there is some questions that could help you map your learning from a professional perspective:
What do I need to improve in short term to perform in my job?
Is it possible to learn it online? Can I learn it alone?
What position would I like to have in 3-5 years? What do I need to learn to reach this position?
STEP#2 – Define when do I learn best?
It’s so Important to understand yourself and when you’re the most efficient. In my case I am a morning person, so I try to dedicate time in the morning.
STEP #3 – What time can I dedicate to this task?
Be realistic because otherwise you risk feeling a high level of demotivation very quickly. In fact, it is the same as doing sport… If you’re not a runner and you start with a high-level training program you will probably stop after the second or third session. Be realistic in terms of what you can achieve and the time you can invest.
STEP #4 – Plan a meeting with yourself
I know it sounds crazy but there are some benefits of doing that. Firstly, you make a contract or a commitment to yourself. Secondly, if you’re doing professional learning during your office hours, this will allow you not to be disturbed by your colleagues during this period.
Last thing, self-development in you investing in your self but why not then share the knowledge with others! I started on the graduate programme I have learned a lot from the other Brand Ambassadors and it’s another strength of this program.