“Nurturing yourself is not selfish – it’s essential to your survival and your well-being.” ~Renee Peterson Trudeau
We all know the positive benefits that can be attained by incorporating a solid mind/body fitness regimen into our lives. There’s no need to cite statistics that show how, even with minimal effort, we can be healthier and happier. We have heard it all before, and the facts speak for themselves. What we may not realize however, is that a similar regimen can be applied to attaining and maintaining Salesforce skills that can provide similar results. Listed below are some ideas for you to consider, as you build your training plans.
Make a Plan
First and foremost, make a plan and communicate it to others, so that they can offer support and help keep you accountable. You may find them joining in and sharing their ideas; after all mindshare is the best share, right? Here at Arkus, we schedule a block of time well in advance and invite everyone to join in the fun. The idea is to put some skin in the game, quiz and encourage each other. You may be working on attaining different skills than others, but you can still hold yourself and others accountable while sharing thoughts and hopefully a fair amount of laughs.
Find Your Learning Style
We all have unique learning styles and environmental preferences, as my colleague Amy Bucciferro wrote about in her post “Salesforce Learning Tools for Every Style”. She does a great job covering this topic, and I strongly suggest you spend some time on understanding what works best for you. Keep in mind, this can and will change; be flexible and open to try different techniques.
Know Your Rhythm
You may want to spend some time learning about ultradian rhythms, and then map out your daily cycles of alertness and focus and plan your days accordingly. Learn what the best times are for you to, well, learn. This may well vary according to priorities and overall workload, but see if you can find those sweet spots, the periods most conducive to focus and retention, and schedule your training accordingly. I have found that by understanding how my body ticks, I can plan and adjust my days (and nights) to be more productive and efficient. Trust me, it’s worth a shot.
Set Realistic Goals
It's important to be realistic about what we expect from ourselves. Let’s not go overboard; we do not need to tackle Mt. Everest in one afternoon. Remember to be kind to yourself - the last thing you want to do is to set yourself up for failure. Establish a realistic timeline, identify your goals, and be sure to target specific dates. Use whatever GTD® (short for Getting Things Done®, the productivity methodology designed and trademarked by David Allen) system you have in place. I find it best to register for certification exams in advance and work toward that deadline. There will be times when you will be tempted to “jump ship” when facing a demanding workload or shifting priorities. Stay strong and adjust (remember how we were going to be flexible) rather than abandon. Knocking off one Trailhead badge can do wonders for you, giving you an endorphin rush while brushing up on your skills.
Remember that fitness of mind and body belong together; taking time to exercise both will enable you to learn and perform at your peak, while maintaining your health and well-being. What are some strategies or techniques that work for you? Want to share your experiences or opinions? Please feel free to reach out on the Arkus Facebook page, in the comments below, in the Success Community, or to me directly via Twitter at @sfdcclicks.
