Last week, we started a longer conversation about planning. It doesn’t matter if it’s business planning, marketing and communications planning, or planning for yourself, now is the time to begin to think about next year. As we go back into lockdown in Chicago and other parts of the country, I know how challenging it is to think about tomorrow, let alone next year, but let’s give it a shot.

We’ll go back to the business-type planning next week, but this week, I’d like to focus on you. After all, if you don’t care for you (and I say this as much for myself as anyone), you can’t take care of your internal or external clients and team. This week, it’s all about you!

We talk a lot about professional development around these parts—both on the podcast and on the blog. Spin Sucks is, after all, a professional development site for marketers and communicators. We are big about continual learning and stretching our brains. One way to do that is to learn, evolve, and advance…together continually.

At the same time, it’s incredibly difficult for us to invest in ourselves. We’re accustomed to being behind the scenes. We work tirelessly for others and put ourselves on the backburner. Of course, this is the fastest way to both burnout and irrelevance.

And yet, we all do it. I”m as guilty as anyone. It’s not good!

But with a little thinking, two weeks’ time, and a notebook, you can be well on your way to professional development that helps you reach your goals.

Resources Included In the Episode

* One-page Template for Communications Planning

* Bullet Journal

* A Little Life

* Spin Sucks Community