One of my favorite business and self improvement books of all time is Stephen R Covey’s ‘The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People’, which has been a consistent top seller since it was published almost 30 years ago. Impressively the content and advice still rings true today as it is based on human perceptions, proven principles and effective approaches for attaining goals.

The seventh habit featured in the book is Sharpen the Saw, which means preserving and enhancing the greatest asset you have–you. I think this makes it the most important habit as it’s essential to have a balanced program of self renewal and continual improvement. Sometimes we need to get away from the “work” of our work to sharpen our skills, develop new ideas and discover approaches that can help us to be more efficient and effective in our careers and life. Here are 3 ideas for sharpening the saw to help your business…

 

Attend Conferences  

Taking time away from the office can be very valuable, attending conferences and seminars to hear speakers sharing their insights. You can come away mentally refreshed with new ideas and inspiration. It also provides great networking opportunities, especially during break out sessions when we can mix and mingle. 

 

Up Your Skill Set

Would knowledge of social media and marketing help your business? Perhaps your IT skills need updated. Why not enroll in a part-time class or course. Perhaps learning a new language would help you expand your client base and open new doors. Networking is a great skill to improve and can help you connect with influential people and perhaps find a  business mentor.

 

Review Systems

Are there more efficient ways you could be working? Technology is advancing rapidly and so many new systems and platforms are available to make your life and work easier. Take some time to review all the systems you use and see if you can improve them to be more effective and possibly save money too.

 

What can you take some time out to improve today?