When a calendar year is coming to a close is the perfect time to reflect on personal and professional successes and challenges. As you look back on the past year, how would you rate your work-life balance? Suzanne Gelb’s, “10 Ways Successful People Spend Their Time After Work” provides great insight and recommendations as to how you can effectively utilize your time to help you grow personally and professionally. Gelb states, “The way you spend your time outside of work - what you do on your evenings, weekends, and vacations - can have a big impact on the trajectory of your career. If you want to be highly successful at work, you have to be thoughtful and intentional with the way you spend your time outside of work, too”.
I highly encourage you to read Gelb’s writing as she illustrates how individuals such as Taylor Swift, Michelle Obama, and several others implement ten principles that help them operate in a successful manner, but for the sake of this blog post, I will only highlight three of them.
They Work Out
As elite level athletes, you are very familiar with this notion and the physiological benefits one can experience from working out. However, outside of sports, Gelb states in regards to working out, “It’s widely known following a consistent fitness regimen boosts your creativity, confidence, and resilience both at work and in your personal life”. Regardless of your level of physical fitness or training regimen, the Trust offers a great opportunity for you to stay active through the YMCA or EXOS.
They Build Authentic Relationships
When former players are asked, “What do you miss the most about sports?,” a pretty frequent answer revolves around the locker room and camaraderie. Both of which provide you with the opportunity to build authentic relationships with like-minded individuals. Even though you may not participate in the “game” anymore, there are still great opportunities to stay connected with former players. The Trust and NFLPA Former Players Services host events throughout the country all year long to provide an opportunity for you to stay connected. Be sure to click the links to see when the next event will take place in your area.
They Take Classes and Invest in Themselves
Thinking about going back to school to finish your degree or simply looking to advance your education? Through the benefit of the Trust Scholarship and the Trust’s partnership with AthLife, the opportunity for you to achieve your educational goal is right at your fingertips.
Regardless of how the past year has gone for you, a great opportunity awaits in the new year and there is no better time to start utilizing your time outside of work more effectively to help you grow personally and professionally. Suzanne Gelb said, "Successful people know when you invest in yourself - whether you’re investing in your mind, body or spirit - it’s all going to contribute to your professional success."