Here are our top five reasons why we think getting out of the office and attending an event is good for not only your business, but also your future.
Step out of your
comfort zone.
To quote New York Times bestselling
author John C. Maxwell, “To succeed in life, we must stay within our strength
zone but continually move outside our comfort zone.” Being comfortable in your
position isn’t always a bad thing, unless it starts to stunt your professional
growth. Getting out of the office to learn, away from your everyday environment
and distractions, can enable you to focus and be more open to new ideas.
Hearing experts and fellow industry leaders speak can help you get a fresh
perspective. Offsite, in-person events also serve a different purpose than
online events, which don’t require you to be as social or allow hands-on
training.
Sharpen your skills.
Sitting at the same desk and doing the same thing all day can be a bit
monotonous. Taking a break from the office to attend an event can enable you to
sharpen your skills and learn best practices. It takes less time and energy to
chop down a tree with a sharp ax than a dull one. Invest in yourself and your
own growth (in all areas of life). Your future self will thank you.
Take advantage of
networking opportunities.
Workshops are a great place to meet like-minded people who share interest in
your industry. Connecting with others in your field can lead to brainstorming
and process improvement. Sometimes all it takes is sharing your processes with
others and receiving feedback to spark a more efficient way to work. It never
hurts to put yourself out there and build relationships. Introducing yourself
to others can lead to finding your next mentor, or even just a friend to trade
ideas with.
Learn how to optimize
your tools.
It’s important to learn how to use the tools you already have to their fullest
potential. Many offices do not fully realize all of the functionality their
product or service has, and the reason could simply be that they haven’t had to
use it before. Whether the event you’re considering attending is focused on an
application, a product, or a service that your business uses, you will leave
with tips to work more efficiently. These events are designed to detail the
specifics and teach you how to use products to your advantage.
Take new insights
back to the office.
Sharing your new knowledge with your co-workers is very rewarding because you
have the power to improve your entire office. The more active you are in your
industry, the more often your peers may ask you for advice. As an added bonus,
the more you learn, the quicker you can become an expert in your field and
position yourself for even more opportunities.
