Stephen R. Covey’s book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People inspired people across the world for over 25 years to focus on timeless principles. This is an extremely good book and The Mindspa Institute use some of the aspects as part of their training sessions. However, as with everything change is a constant necessity. If you don’t invest in improving yourself or your employees on a regular basis, you will surely be left behind.
One of Mr Covey’s famous quotes is: “I am not a product of my circumstances. I am a product of my decisions” which is why it is important to adopt certain habits to improve yourself. Here are a few practical habits we thought to recommend on a daily basis as part of the self-improvement recipe:
- Did you know that you have an entire squad of mentors and coaches just waiting for you to tap into their know-how and learn from their experiences? Reading books by well-known authors on various subjects like leadership, business, life-coaching etc. helps you gain ideas on how to better yourself. All you need to do is go to the library or buy the book and read their advice. Then practice what they’ve preached.
- Everyone keeps on saying that you should set goals. And this is so true. Wake up every day with a different goal you set for yourself, no matter how small. You will feel a sense of accomplishment at the end of the day. As this becomes a habit, your goals will start to get bigger and more long-term. It will then be easier to keep you focussed which helps you reach your end-goal because you have practiced this healthy habit.
- Utilize your time when driving or at the gym, to listen to podcasts and motivational talks. Wear your earphones and keep listening material ready on your phone or on your car radio.
- Revive and practice old hobbies or passions that will lift your mood and spirit. If you love to paint or read, make sure you take an hour each day to invest in yourself by doing something you like.
- Don’t lose sight of your own skills development. Up-skilling yourself is extremely important and should be a daily habit. Going on skills training courses is very important, but you can also develop your skills by practicing what you’ve been taught or are busy learning every day. For example, if you attended a communication’s course, practice the active listening every day so that it becomes a habit.
- Choose two to three people whose opinions and feedback you value. People you know will always tell you the truth. People who will tell you something ‘straight’. Make sure you constantly ask for their feedback on the way you act, do things and communication. Then listen to their critique and make a conscious decision to change the negatives into positive attributes.
- Move forward through change. If you are open-minded to things that change around you, you will not only open yourself up to new possibilities but also move forward and improve yourself.
- Mix with the right people. Get involved in your community and with community projects. This will not only help with developing emotional intelligence, but will also give you a chance to network. You will feel a sense of gratification and you will be able to help and mean something to someone else without expecting something in return.
The Mindspa Institute believes that in order for a person to grow both in their personal and professional lives, they need to constantly improve themselves. In addition, companies should invest in the skills development of their personnel in order to build a great team which will result in the growth of the company. Individuals who are emotionally strong, self-confident, self-assured and are constantly improving themselves, will naturally improve business. Read More