Due to coronavirus, you may not be able to work at an internship or travel anywhere new this summer. Thankfully, it’s still possible to learn and grow while you stay home. In fact, it’s probably the best way to use your free time. When you aren’t at school, you can continue to gain knowledge that’s necessary for self-development.
Take a look at these tips for self-improvement this summer.
1. Set Small and Large Goals
Now’s a terrific time to reassess your goals for the future. Whether you’re a freshman or a senior, it’s essential to lay out a few ideas on how you want to move forward. Where do you see yourself five years from now? Maybe you picture a specific job or envision your own house. Either way, try to set achievable, tangible goals that you can take steps to accomplish.
For example, you may want a new car. That’s a great goal, but what you need to write down isn’t “a car.” You should establish small objectives that work up to the bigger picture. Instead, you should strive for a specific intention – set aside $300 from your biweekly paycheck until you reach $5,000 for a down payment. If you can learn how to set goals, you’ll be more driven and focused.
2. Discover a New Talent
You don’t have to take a class to learn a new talent. The internet offers so many resources that relate to personal development topics such as leadership and confidence. Try to identify an area that you struggle with to focus on. You could think about how to motivate yourself as a student or discover ways to communicate better. These skills are necessary for adulthood.
Look online for videos that address these skills. You may also find books and podcasts from professionals that offer tips and suggestions. Of course, you won’t learn these skills overnight, so don’t become frustrated. As a whole, most self-development skills take some time. When you make an effort to improve yourself, that’s what counts most.
3. Try a Workout Routine
When we consider self-help skills, many of us don’t picture physical fitness. It turns out that exercise can help us de-stress after a tough day. Additionally, you can incorporate self-care tactics into your routine. Whether that involves frequent meditation or consistent sleep, you can weave these two concepts together. Plus, a daily walk or run can you get out of the house.
It’s important to start small, especially if you don’t usually exercise often. Even 15 minutes of walking each day can combat depression, boost your mood, and benefit your health. Begin with a few workouts a week and build up to a more consistent routine. This way, you can find out what kinds of workouts you like best. You can use this time to expose yourself to new information, too, such as the origins of yoga and Pilates. Plus, you’ll thank yourself when you’re 50 and fit.
4. Reflect on Passions
When you research self-improvement skills, you’ll probably find references to passion. People always tell each other to follow their dreams – if their job revolves around their passion, they won’t really feel like they ever have to work. How do you discover that enthusiasm or love for a particular subject? Practice! Use your summer break to explore new topics and ideas that interest you.
You may find that you adore 18th-century literature, or you want to know more about space. In any case, it’s essential to identify these passions. You may not ever walk on the moon, but you can watch all the documentaries you want. Your desires help define you as your own person.
5. Break Any Bad Habits
We all have bad habits – whether you frequently forget to floss or you skip out on healthy foods. You can use this summer to squash those practices for good. Typically, it can take around two or three months to break a habit fully. It’s not always smart to quit cold turkey, especially when you want to build a new practice. Fortunately, summer offers enough time to adjust your habits at least once.
You must take a more systematic approach. First, target the habit you want to change. Then, you can take steps to do so successfully. You could also use reminders to help your overall progress.
Use These Self-Improvement Ideas to Better Yourself
When you’re at home this summer, try to use your time wisely. Whenever you can, do your best to work on — and take care of — yourself.
About the Author: With a passion for education and student lifestyle, writer and blogger Alyssa Abel makes it her mission to offer helpful, well-informed resources for students and teachers everywhere. Read more of her work on Syllabusy.
Photo by Thought Catalog on Unsplash
The opinions and views expressed in any guest blog post do not necessarily reflect those of www.rtor.org or its sponsor, Laurel House, Inc. The author and www.rtor.org have no affiliations with any products or services mentioned in the article or linked to therein. Guest Authors may have affiliations to products mentioned or linked to in their author bios only.
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