This article was written by Rochelle Moulton, a personal branding strategist, on behalf of the Happy Grad Project.
You’ve read your last textbook, finished your final exam, and nabbed that closing grade. You are SO ready to sprint off into your new life and celebrate your launch into “official” adulthood. So, learning MORE may not be on your immediate radar.
Related:Learning Doesn’t Stop Once You Have The Job
But here’s the thing: Learning for the sheer joy of it is the trick to a happy life and satisfying career.
Think about it. When you remove the external trappings—exams and grades and test scores—the world becomes your classroom and everyone your teacher. You can learn as much (or, unfortunately, as little) as you choose. You can become an expert—because you literally can’t wait to know everything there is to know about that one thing that completely enthralls you. Music. Rocket Science. Lizards. Philanthropy.
Or you can be more of a bumblebee, flitting from flower to flower, soaking up the nectar from each and moving on. Don’t judge this—indulge it. Your learning will pay off in ways you just can’t see when you’re in the midst of it.
Learning for learning’s sake is powerful. Joyful. Even spiritual. It isn’t about money, although it may very well wind up being how you make yours. It’s about living a rich and happy life that has meaning to YOU.
A great way to get started? Travel. Get out of the town, state, province, country you grew up in and go explore. Soak up cultural differences and understand how the world works. Meet people who are different from you and get to know them. Grab a table at an outdoor café and soak up the atmosphere. Revel in where you are and what’s right in front of you, right now.
You’ll find that curiosity transforms relationships. Learning about someone for the sheer joy of it is intoxicating to both you and the recipient. Who doesn’t love being an object of wonder? Friendships deepen when you are paying attention—and smoldering passions can ignite. It’s not even restricted to the here-and-now. Researching your family lineage might produce a kindred spirit amongst your ancestors (and here you thought you were the only black sheep in the family).
And yes, learning pays dividends in your career. You will quickly find that the most stimulating work environments encourage you to flex your curiosity muscles. That the best leaders are the ones who challenge you to think further and deeper than you thought possible. That the bosses who make you grumble on your way out the door may well be the ones you bless later for the insights you worked like hell for.
Your most unforgettable projects and team experiences may well be alongside those whose curiosity matches (or better yet, exceeds) your own. What wondrous things can a few creative minds concoct when free to explore new territory?
If you have children, that sheer joy will come in handy (along with a hefty dose of patience). Watching your child take their first steps, speak their first word and read their first book will remind you—just in case you’d forgotten along the way—that the joy is in the learning.
Yes, the joy is in the journey. In savoring each and every drop that life dangles in front of you. Even when it’s hard. Sometimes (most often only in retrospect) especially when it’s hard.
So, venture forth with your newly-minted degree and bring your love of learning along for the ride. We need your curiosity, your hunger and your bold new ideas. We need you.
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There you are: sitting on the beach, covered in sunscreen, reading your favorite book, drinking your favorite drink under the cool shade of an umbrella. Life doesn't get any better than this. Suddenly, a door slams, a phone rings, a printer turns on. You jolt back into consciousness. You're at work, sitting in your cubicle, without even a hint of sunshine streaming in from outside.
When you're working a full-time job, finding time to enjoy the warm, bright summer weather can be a challenge. This is especially true for young professionals, as many of them are used to having summers off (or, at the very least, having a flexible summer schedule). But there's no need to feel trapped behind your cubicle walls. Go out and enjoy summer!
Here are a few tips for making the most of your summer while working full time.
1. Grab Some Foldable Chairs
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Keep a couple of foldable camping chairs at the office so you and a co-worker can catch some rays during lunch—whether it's in the park or the parking lot.
2. Keep A Beach Bag In Your Car
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Keep a bag full of summer supplies for your favorite summer activities. Having a bag (or, in my case, a backseat) full of towels, sunscreen, and swimwear keeps you prepared for anything. Friends hitting up the pool after work? You're covered. Once the clock strikes five, you can head to your destination of choice immediately.
3. Plan An Office Outing
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Plan an office field trip to the beach, the park, or the pool. Just do something fun so your brain can recharge and refresh!
4. Organize Group Walks
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Get a bunch of co-workers together and go on regular walks around town during lunch. (Or you could suggest a quick jaunt over to the ice cream shop.) This is a great way to get some fresh air, sunshine, and exercise.
5. Eat Lunch At The Park
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When you find yourself eating out, hit up places with a deck, porch, or patio of some sort. Obviously, eating out every day isn't really a feasible option for most of us, so look into alternative ideas as well. Pack a lunch and hit the park for your own little picnic.
6. Organize Office Sports
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Whether it's setting up an official office sports team or just hanging out with your colleagues a few times a week, playing sports is a great way to get out and enjoy the weather. Have a field nearby? Try setting up some slow-pitch softball games. Or see if you can get a basketball hoop for the office so you and a few co-workers can shoot some hoops at lunch.
7. Join A Professional Group
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During the summer, professional networking groups often have fun events like harbor cruises, pub crawls, and outdoor mixers. Find a professional group in your area and make networking fun this summer.
8. Have An Office BBQ
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Get your grill on! Talk to your boss about setting up an office BBQ. Ask everyone to contribute their favorite dish, side, or drink. Fire up the grill and relax! Hey, it's summer after all.
9. Wake Up Early
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Yes, yes, I know...waking up early is an incredibly painful and unbearable experience for some of us, but waking up even an hour earlier has its benefits—especially in the summer. Go for a morning run, putter around in the garden, or watch the sunrise with a loved one. Talk about starting the day off right!
10. Strategically Use Your Time Off
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Strategically use your vacation days around holidays. This way, you can make a potentially long weekend longer without having to use too much of your precious vacation time. Half days are also pretty awesome. It's amazing how much you can do with four extra hours! If you want an early weekend but don't want to burn up your vacation days too quickly, try taking a half day on a Friday instead of using a full day off.
11. Bike To Work
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If you're one of the lucky few who live within walking or biking distance of work, take advantage of it! Not only will you get plenty of fresh air, but you'll also save money on gas, which is always a plus!
There are plenty of easy ways to enjoy summer when you work a full-time job. So this summer, try out a few of these ideas and make the most of the sunshine and warm weather—while they're still around!
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