Factors to Consider When Making a Personal Development Plan

Factors to Consider When Making a Personal Development Plan

Article by Dr. Robert Anthony

When the topic of self improvement is raised, the emphasis is often placed on performance. More often than not, the changes or improvements prescribed relate to which habits and actions a person should do. But before we even consider what actions and behaviors a person should emulate, we should first ask what a person desires. At the end of the day, self development is about building the ideal situation where one feels comfortable about himself and his environment. In order to achieve that, one must seek to create a balanced existence.

A personal development plan is the perfect tool to finding such balance. In the process of making one, a person may discover which aspects of his life need more attention. One by one you he can work on each phase until he achieves a state that he is happy with. Here are some important features that one might want to include in a personal plan.

1. Develop a Physical Health PlanDue to how hectic our daily schedule can get, we can easily often forget to pay attention to our health. A desk job may cause us to live sedentary lifestyles and a job on the road may cause us to develop a poor diet of fast food and junk food. When you make a personal development plan, make sure you develop a schedule that accommodates for sufficient physical exercise. You might also want to include a nutritional guide to make sure that you’re not consuming too much bad cholesterol and sodium. Finding ways to take care of your health is a giant step towards self improvement.

2. Develop a Financial PlanDo you have any savings? Have you thought about where to invest your savings on? Do you have any idea of how you’re going to be able to sustain yourself financially after you retire? If you haven’t thought about these things yet, then your financial situation is one area of your life that needs more attention. Self improvement isn’t just about improving the mind and body. It’s also about making financial progress. In the process of making a personal development plan, make sure to include short-term and long-term financial goals. If you often find yourself in debt, make a financial plan to get you out of debt. You’d be surprised how much a little planning can improve your financial situation.

3. Plan for a VacationWork-related stress and anxiety can take a toll on a person. The little challenges we encounter daily can accumulate and cause fatigue and apathy. Exhaustion from work drastically reduces our professional productivity. One way to avoid burnout is to go on a vacation. Everyone needs a break from the hassles of work. When you make a personal development plan, try to include a date for a planned vacation. It doesn’t have to be a long one. Sometimes all a person needs is a weekend away from the city. Self improvement is also about having peace of mind. If you’re having trouble finding it, take a short break until you’ve regained a sense of spiritual equilibrium.

4. Make Time for SleepHow much time do you have for sleep? A lot of people take pride in being so busy that they often lack sleep. However, studies have shown that people who sleep at an average of less than 6 hours per day have less energy, less focus, and less enthusiasm for work. In other words, a person who gets sufficient rest can get more work done in a shorter amount of time than a person who stays up all night. When making a personal development plan, don’t forget to make a schedule that allows for sufficient rest. You can achieve self improvement just by making sure that you get enough sleep.

5. Make Time for FamilyOne of the hottest professional trends these days is home-based jobs and businesses. The reason for this is simple. More and more people are recognizing that emotional and psychological benefits of having more time with their loved ones. Sometimes long hours at work alienate us from the most important people in our lives. Before you become estranged from your family, make time for them; make your family a priority in your personal development plan. Self improvement is easier to achieve when you have your entire family supporting you.

Even if you weren’t able to accomplish all the goals on your personal development plan, it’s not a wasted effort. The mere act of making one forces you to take a step back and evaluate your life. You may realize how you’ve lost track of your priorities or how your desires have changed over time. At the very least, the construction of a plan forces you to contemplate on the important things in life. Self improvement begins with awareness and contemplation. You can’t correct the mistakes you don’t recognize. The more you learn about yourself, the more capable you will be of making life changes.

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