In today’s global scenario, it has become extremely important to invest in personal development. It is because a lack of self-growth can be extremely detrimental for any individual. Its grave consequences include low self-confidence, poor communication style, and disorganization. As mentioned in Dr. Joe Rubino’s book about self-esteem, 85% of people globally struggle with low self-esteem. Moreover, its lack can ruin relationships, and decrease life satisfaction. In a workplace setting, it can create a demotivating environment, and drive talented people away from the organization. It is crucial to work on one’s personal development to thrive in today’s world. 

Working on personal development should be the priority of everybody. It is because it has numerous advantages. For example, an increase in self-esteem, more productivity, and enhanced clarity of mind. Additionally, it leads to better emotional management and quality of relationships. Within the context of an organization, it can help attract talented and skilled people, and boost motivation levels in employees. There are several habits that have great significance and can aid in personal growth. 

Courses offered by Sureself are excellent for self-growth, e.g. “Organized Mind”.

1. Read Regularly

Daily reading has great significance for personal development because books contain wisdom from everywhere in the world. Exercise is beneficial for the body, similarly reading is an exercise for the mind. Benefits of reading include improved focus, memory, and vocabulary. Furthermore, it enhances motivation and reduces stress levels. There are some people who sleep better when they read before bedtime. 

2. Meditate Regularly

Meditation is a highly recommended activity that can bring significant personal development. We know that personal development cannot happen if there is no organization of mind, clear focus, and poor sense of purpose. It also cannot happen if one has poor mental and physical health. Fortunately, meditation practices help in enhancing all of the above factors. Research published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS) found that meditation enhances concentration and self-management ability. It means that it greatly facilitates having an organized mind. 

3. Prioritize Tasks

Priorities are those tasks that are valuable to an individual. They help in improving self-discipline. It is highly recommended that your schedule contains the duties that are your priorities and not meaningless tasks. It is because spending your day while working on your priorities gives a deep sense of meaning. 

There are different tools that one can use for prioritization but one famous tool is known as Eisenhower Matrix for setting priorities. The matrix has four quadrants that are based on four criteria: important, not important, urgent, not urgent. The first quadrant contains tasks that require immediate attention. The second quadrant is about scheduling your most significant tasks. Commonly these tasks have long-term significance for people e.g. preparation, book reading, and meditation. Coming towards the third quadrant, it has tasks that can be assigned to others. For example, calls, emails, and planning a picnic party. In the fourth quadrant are those tasks that should be eliminated or minimized in quantity. For instance, using social media, procrastinating, and watching TV for hours. 

4. Visualize Growth

The visualization technique is extremely helpful in self-growth because it empowers an individual to imagine their success beforehand. It is also recommended to people to imagine all the possible obstacles that can arise during their journey. It considerably helps in dealing with the issues in reality and eliminates any excuses. When a person imagines their success, it triggers the brain areas associated with reward and pleasure. In this way, dopamine is released. We know that dopamine is a neurotransmitter of pleasure and motivation. Consequently, visualization techniques play an important role in boosting personal development. 

5. Practice gratitude

The practice of gratitude is very helpful in personal development because it encourages people to look at the bright side of life as well as themselves. It means to pay attention to the strengths and qualities of oneself. For life, it means to notice something good that happened during your day or the last few days. For instance, you bought new furniture, children did their homework without trouble and you drank a hot cup of coffee peacefully. 

6. Listen Actively

Active listening is about engaging with others with undivided attention. It means to completely focus on the other person through your verbal and non-verbal communication. One way to show that you paid attention to the message of the other person is to mirror them. Mirroring means reflecting the words and the body language of others. For example, experts recommend mirroring the last three words of the sentence spoken by the other person. A precaution to exercise is that one should never mirror the other person in an offensive way i.e. like a parrot. It can considerably damage the relationship. 

7. Do Journaling

Journaling has several benefits for the mind and the body (i.e. personal development). For instance, a boosted immune system, reduced anxiety levels and upgraded self-awareness. Daily journaling facilitates overcoming life challenges and establishes self-accountability. For example, if somebody has a goal of weight loss, they can write about their whole experience. They can write about what worked for them and what did not work. Additionally, they can jot down their progress, level of motivation, and whether they want to continue the next day. Therefore, journaling is an excellent atomic habit that supports personal development. 

8. Forgive Often

How can forgiveness hinder personal development? We know that forgiveness is the journey of letting go of unpleasant feelings and dealing with the wrongdoer kindly. It clearly shows that if someone is harboring any grudges, it is extremely difficult for them to grow emotionally. At the end of the day, the anger only destroys the health of its host. Therefore, forgiving the person is critical for self-growth. 

9. Exercise Regularly

Regular exercise grows the person physically. It keeps the individual physically and mentally fit. The benefits of exercise for personal development are:

• Improved healing
• Better mood
• Strengthened bones
• Increased quality of sleep
• Boosted mental health

10. Do Self-Care Daily

Self-care is not just about fancy lotions, bags, perfumes, and expensive baths. It means to not do anything that can seriously harm oneself e.g. drugs. Self-care encourages a person to take mini-breaks during their schedule so that the individual can refresh their energy levels and focus. It empowers a person to stand up for themselves wherever required. In a way, self-care creates empathy for others. It results in better relationships. Hence, daily self-care is valuable for personal development. 

Final Thoughts

Good habits are the basis for long-term and consistent personal development. It has become extremely significant to flourish in recent times. Several habits by which one can enhance their personal development are reading, meditation, prioritization, and visualization. Moreover, online courses offered by Sureself can be really beneficial to achieving this goal. 

Read More: Why A Growth Mindset Is Essential For Career Success