The Next Stage
I’ve reached an interesting part in my career/life, where within the next couple of weeks, I’ll officially be done school… forever. For the past several years, I’ve been finishing a degree on top of working full time, which has left little time for an actual “life”. But all that comes to a change, as I finish up my final exams this month.
So then what?
I’m not one who sits around doing nothing very well — I need to stay busy and mentally stimulated. While I have no real definitive plan for exactly what happens the day after I’m done, I have a few idea’s running around in my head to fill my time:
- Refocus on my Career: I’ve done pretty well at the company I’m at now, and its got a lot potential. I’m going to re-invest some of my energy into pushing it to the next level.
- Establish Professional Presence Online: For my career path, having an online portfolio or blog would help establish credibility as an ‘expert’ in the field. I’m going to start writing more, and see where it takes me.
- Read 1 Business Book/month: In any field thats growing, reading/learning is imperative for professional and personal growth. Gone are the textbooks, and now is the time to read books on sales, marketing, life and business in general (which I find more interesting than fiction, any day)
- Build Business Network: I’ve avoided networking (mostly because of time constraints… and that I’m always uneasy about it) for the past couple of years, but its time to start getting ‘out’ there at industry events, meetups, and online. I’m now brushing up on actual networking skills by reading Networking for People who Hate Networking, by Devora Zack.
- Get Active: With it already being Spring, theres lots to do outside. I’m going to get outside more, and enjoy the fresh air.
But before I dive head in to all of that, I’m going to just relax for a bit… maybe plan a trip, or just take some time off to enjoy my city. But a few weeks of doing nothing, may do the trick.
My friends who have graduated before me, have all told me the same thing — its a dramatic change, and fast, where there is no more school, and a whole lot of free time to fill. Its both exciting, and scary at the same time…
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I love your plan of reading one business book a month …. I share that same goal! This month’s book (April 2011) is accomplished, thanks in large part to spending a week laying on the beach with nothing else to do other than read. In fact, maybe I should read all my biz books like that …
@Paula, thanks for the comment. Yeah, figure a book a month should help me stay mentally stimulated/educated… just need the motivation. the beach sounds like a good plan though!
congrats on graduating