A lot of the time, we are so caught up in hustle culture that we forget to create time for improving ourselves. You wake up, go to work, come back home tired, fall asleep after dinner, rinse and repeat. If you don’t work the regular 9 to 5, the cycle might differ but the motions remain similar.
Investing in yourself means using resources to improve your quality of life. This does not always involve gaining skills that make you money. It covers your physical and mental health as well. For this reason, committing to choices that make your life better, requires intention.
If you’re in your 20s, finding a balance between work and choosing yourself might be hard. Not to worry, I will be sharing ten practical ways you can invest in yourself.
Why Investing in Yourself Is Important
Imagine deciding to take a random class in plumbing. A few weeks later, a friend’s sink gets broken and you’re there to help them fix it. If you had not spent time retaining and practicing what you were taught, you would not have been able to help.
Most of the time, we fail to recognize how important it is to invest in ourselves. The value you get from your investment is what will help others. There are a lot of benefits but, here are a few reasons why you should invest in yourself:
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It boosts your confidence and self esteem: The knowledge you gain from focusing on self development teaches you new things about yourself. You learn how resilient you can be, and how to achieve goals with your unique skills.
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It reveals new career opportunities: Developing your current skill-set is going to set you apart from the competition. When employers are looking for candidates to refer for promotions, there is a higher chance you will be selected.
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It helps you build connections: When you sign up for activities with like-minded people, you gain exposure. This in turn builds your network and you get to offer your services while providing value, win-win.
10 Practical Ways to Invest in Yourself
Now you know the importance of self improvement, the next step is to consider activities you can try. To master or record growth in any task, consistency and practice go hand in hand. Here is a curated list of practical ways you can go about investing in yourself.
Create a morning or evening routine that includes quiet time.
Silence offers a lot of benefits, including a great sense of ease and peace. In the morning, before or while having a cup of coffee, you could bird watch in silence. In the evening, consider turning off your devices to listen to crickets for 15 minutes before bed.
Read more books, a page per day will do.
Reading is one activity I will always recommend. This is because books expand your mind and enable you to see things from another perspective. Challenge yourself to read one page of a book everyday and watch the momentum build.
Learn a new skill, even if it’s free.
There are many resources, both free and paid to learn things you’ve always wanted to. From communicating better at work to knitting socks from scratch, you can learn anything. With platforms like YouTube, Coursera or Udemy, all you need to begin is to create an account.
Incorporate a form of exercise into your routine
You could choose to dance, take a walk or stretch if you prefer not to enroll at a gym. The important point is to get up everyday and carve out time dedicated to movement.
Set digital boundaries that give you more time to be present.
Statistics show that most people spend an average of 7 hours a day on their screens. With less time dedicated to scrolling on social media, you get more chances to take part in real life. Create a routine that includes screen-free activities for you to try.
Start a journal or reflection practice.
You would stand in awe at what you had to say if you start penning down your thoughts. You can document your daily struggles, gratitude lists, fears, thoughts and everything between. If you don’t know where to begin, my prompt list for Sunday resets could help you.
Learn to build a budget you can stick to.
Financial literacy is an important life skill to have. With a budget and self discipline, you would be less afraid of the consequences of bad spending habits. Here is a beginner friendly budget worksheet from consumer.gov to help you get started. Remember to start small with your current earnings and stay consistent.
Start a hobby outside your regular job
With hobbies that bring you joy, you can feel happiness without the urge to “be good” at what you do. Pick up a pencil and try doodling, a paintbrush with water colours or watch a tutorial to learn how to bake. These activities are bound to make you happy in the long run.
Find or build a community that is supportive.
By interacting with like minded individuals, you get to invest in your mental health. Attending or hosting game nights with your friends is one way to go. The other is to attend events in your community or online, and become an active participant.
Speak kindly to yourself, always.
This is so important because negative self talk is such a confidence killer. With positive affirmations, you can change the narrative you believe in your head. Download the “I Am” app. It notifies you of affirmations to build and nurture your self confidence.
Conclusion
Remember, there is no pressure to take on all these tasks at once. Pick one, stay committed and enjoy the process. Investing in yourself now is something you would be grateful for in future.
How have you tried to improve yourself in the past? Leave a comment, let’s talk about it.
