The beginning of a new year is a chance to look back and take stock of all we've accomplished, then plan for ways to make the coming year even better. Alongside crafting vision boards and strategizing big goals, try committing to 15 minutes a day for the three Rs: reading, research and review.
Many of the entrepreneurs we admire attribute a large part of their success to the small act of daily, continued learning. The continued exposure and consumption of information via books, articles, websites, blogs, podcasts and more is a game changer. The three Rs are a fail-proof method to help move you forward, regardless of your career path. Bite-sized, informal learning every day inspires you, teaches you and elevates your game.
Here are a few tools that will enhance your knowledge, improve your skillset and help build your network:
Google Alerts - www.google.com/alerts
Google offers a free 'alert' service allowing you to set-up email digests delivered to your inbox on your favorite subjects. For example, set up a daily alert for prenatal fitness. Google then searches the web for relevant information and delivers a neat little email to your inbox. Scan the headlines and summary to determine if you'd like to click and dig deeper.
Nuzzel – www.nuzzel.com
Nuzzel offers personalized news discovery and curated newsletters for busy professionals. Much like Google Alerts, you can create reports about topics most relevant to you and your work. Unlike Google Alerts, the reports curate information based on multiple keywords. So that report on prenatal fitness can also include key search words such as pregnancy, diastasis recti, prenatal fitness and fit pregnancy. The paid-for web version allows you to subscribe other co-workers to your reports as well. There is also an app version that operates slightly differently, but still, a worthwhile download as it makes sharing and storing articles a breeze.
Pocket – www.getpocket.com
Pocket is a brilliant service that allows you to keep all the fantastic content you're finding so you can review at a later date. Pocket sends articles magically to a 'holding cell,' and when you have a few extra minutes, you can open the app and start reading. You can also add keyword tags to your articles to easily retrieve later. Bonus app: Article Reader works in conjunction with Pocket to read those articles to you aloud.
Big goals happen with daily dedication (isn't that what you tell your clients?). So do it now. Commit to 15 minutes a day, minimum, for the three Rs. This time next year, you'll reflect and realize just how much you've received from this painless daily task.
