Education as a self-care technique? If you were one of those kids who dreaded the thought of school you’re probably wondering how on Earth education equates to self-care. But hear me out.
Education opens doors, creates opportunities, and influences the way we work, approach problems, and make decisions.
When you were working for someone else, how many times were educational classes offered? When I was working in the corporate world, it seemed like every day there was a new mailer on some kind of class or session to improve a skill set or expand a knowledge base. Then there are trade shows and conventions. Both types of events remain hugely popular. Businesses send employees to these events for several reasons: to be seen, to invest in their employees and therefore their companies, and to gain new knowledge or connections for the business.
But the employee benefits too. They network and they gain skills and knowledge. If you ever attended a day-long training class or a trade show or convention or a business retreat, you know what it feels like to attend these events and come away with more knowledge. You feel great, inspired, energized and ready to tackle the next business challenge.
That’s how this form of self-improvement is a type of self-care and it’s not off-limits to entrepreneurs. In fact, it could be argued that entrepreneurs need it more than others.
Why Entrepreneurs Should Add Education As A Self-Care Technique
Self-care prepares entrepreneurs for the mental, physical, and emotional demands of running your own business. While the more traditional self-care techniques like adequate sleep, exercise, and nutrition can keep you emotionally and physically prepared, education puts a checkmark in the mental preparedness box.
The self-care benefits of education include:
- Continuous Curiosity. Entrepreneurs need to be open, receptive, and adaptable. Continuous learning sparks creativity, curiosity, and new ways of doing things that can benefit the business.
- Expanded Knowledge Base. When you’re in business for yourself, the more you know, the better. No one says you have to become an expert, but even knowing a little bit more about a certain subject area like marketing, for example, will help you make better business decisions.
- New or Expanded Skills. Additional skills made you more valuable as an employee and they make you more valuable as an entrepreneur too if they can be adapted to help your business thrive.
In short, education is energizing. It stimulates the brain. It can train us in a new skill or it can get us thinking about things in a new way – all are important components of self-care.
What Does Education Look Like?
So, what does education for entrepreneurs look like? It can be many things, which is wonderful because more choices make education more available to more people. Education may be:
- Professional Networks and Networking Events. Think local Chambers of Commerce, industry-specific associations, or alumni groups. Check out these groups for learning luncheons, local educational events, and networking opportunities.
- Formal Education. Go back to school for a specialization or obtain that degree you always wanted. Many community colleges offer Adult Continuing Ed courses and classes that may benefit you.
- Informal Education. Need to learn Excel to track your expenses and revenues, sign up for a class! These informal courses are a great way to learn specific skills in a short amount of time.
- Magazines and Journals. Sign up for professional trade magazines, journals, podcasts, RSS feeds, or blogs and have educational topics delivered to you. These are a great way to stay current with trends in your industry or the business world in general.
- Virtual Groups. Many professional membership organizations have virtual groups where members can collaborate and bounce ideas off one another. Another great source is LinkedIn. A quick search will bring up a list of groups that are available in your area of interest. Join one and participate in the discussions.
Jump Start Your Education As An Entrepreneur With Help From The Marketing Shop
Education has played such an important role in my own personal experience with self-care that I want my readers to have a similar experience. Just this month, I started offering access to my Expert Interviews. These are 30-minute audio interviews with highly successful entrepreneurs who are willing to discuss their biggest mistakes, their biggest wins, and other tidbits that can help entrepreneurs build business success. Think of it as a virtual mentorship program designed just for entrepreneurs!
Click here to learn more about this program or to sign up to receive our Expert Interviews!