I was talking with a friend a few weeks ago. As we were sharing about our lives, jobs, etc, she commented that her boss had recently asked her, “so, what are you doing to develop yourself professionally?” We both groaned and quickly moved onto easier topics. But that statement stuck with me. What would I do if my boss asked me that?
As a mom who works outside the home full-time, I can barely get to the mandatory activities of my life. So where does professional development fit in? Do I add it to my “to do” list; grocery shopping, sign up 4 year old for soccer classes, pick up cat litter, and professional development? Realistically it would get relegated to my “get to someday” list along with; figuring out how to reduce my carbon footprint, losing weight and planning for retirement. It’s exhausting just thinking about it.
Over Memorial Day weekend, I was sitting at Starbucks, catching up with a friend from college. Jon is in a related profession and we love to “talk shop”. We were sitting there sharing work challenges and solutions. During the course of our friendly debate, I realized that I was learning from him. He isn’t a nationally recognized thought leader or expert, but he does bring a new set of experiences and perspectives that I can glean wisdom from.
Last week, someone on my team sent me a link to an article on www.DVM360.com. Something in that article piqued my interest. After I put my son to bed, I spent the better part of the evening viewing related articles online. Hmm. another opportunity for learning.
Yesterday I saw something about the AVMA conference in Seattle next month. While I go to a veterinary conference every few years, I hadn’t really considered attending this one. But why not? It’s close to where I live and it would definitely be an opportunity for me to further my learning (maybe even in ways I didn’t expect).
As I sit back and think about it, what can feel like the daunting task of professional development doesn’t seem so unattainable. I realized that looking for the possibilities to learn and grow in your everyday life makes this less of a burden. Heck, it seems a lot easier than shedding that extra 15 lbs! So, maybe tomorrow when I walk on the treadmill, I’ll read a professional journal, rather than watch TV. Just maybe that’ll help with my carbon footprint too!