In today’s fast-paced business world, personal development often takes a backseat to pressing deadlines and endless meetings. Most of us working in corporate America, especially women, try to do way too much, including raising families. As a consequence, inner work, such as improving skills, knowledge and abilities to achieve our goals, is yet another chore on our never-ending to-do list.
Even so, over half of Americans engage in self-improvement activities, and more than 90% of CEOs do. During the pandemic, these numbers increased. Currently the average American spends over $1,000 per year on self-help products and services. The global personal development market is over 50 billion dollars, and it’s expected to reach over 80 billion dollars in less than ten years.
But making time for personal growth is not easy, especially for women. The truth is, most high-achieving women view inner work as just another task on their overflowing plate. Furthermore, we are bombarded by advice on the internet implying we need to upgrade ourselves in order to keep up; phrases like “follow your dreams,” “imagine your best self,” “step out of your comfort zone,” and “be your authentic self” are everywhere. Many people are complaining of improvement overload, self-improvement burnout, and “personal development fatigue.” Our society values perfectionism, and is constantly pressuring us to live up to idealized standards. As women, we find ourselves overwhelmed and exhausted, trapped in the cycle of never being or doing enough.
It’s not working.
But what if self-improvement could be both radically effective and refreshingly unconventional? What if it could be enjoyable?
A handful of authors and personal coaches are challenging the notion that self-improvement needs to feel like work. According to author and mindset coach Macarena luz Bianchi “Inner work doesn’t have to be a chore. By injecting creativity and humor into the process, we can make significant changes without feeling overwhelmed.”
Bianchi created the Lighthearted Living Formula. She instructs her clients to “Forget everything you’ve been told about inner work being a serious, time-consuming endeavor. True transformation happens when we dare to be playful and irreverent with our own growth.” Bianchi believes that play is not just for children – “it’s a powerful tool for productivity and personal growth.”
Neta Talmor, serial entrepreneur and business coach, suggests that “you simplify things for yourself.”
“Great ideas can come out of doing less, and being present. Being gentle with yourself, giving yourself a break, and allowing humor to guide you allows you to shift energy and show up for yourself and your relationships,” adds Bianchi.
Here are five powerful techniques busy people can use to skyrocket their personal growth in just five minutes:
The “Mess-Up” Celebration Instead of berating yourself for mistakes, throw a 60-second dance party to celebrate your mistakes. Bianchi argues, “Embracing failures as learning opportunities is old news. Actually, celebrating them rewires your brain to view challenges as exciting growth catalysts.”
This technique involves choosing an upbeat song as your “Mess-Up Anthem” and playing it whenever you make a mistake. Dance wildly for one minute, letting go of any embarrassment or self-judgment. One client of Bianchi’s was even able to celebrate getting fired from her job; she had wanted to start her own solo practice anyway.
Bianchi suggests keeping a “Mess-Up Journal” to track these celebrations and reflect on the lessons learned, turning each mistake into a springboard for innovation and resilience.
All Access Mentoring
Spend five minutes seeking advice from someone you’d never typically consult – perhaps a child, a new intern, or even a chatbot. “Traditional mentoring, or seeking out knowledge from someone more senior and experienced, is limited,” Bianchi contends. “Fresh, unfiltered perspectives can spark revolutionary ideas and challenge our entrenched thinking patterns.” Recognizing that wisdom is everywhere, and you can find it when standing in line, at the mall, or almost anywhere, is a valuable tool.
Jen Gottlieb, co-founder of Super Connector Media and best-selling author, shared that her 15-year-old stepdaughter was talking about someone she noticed had ‘pick me’ energy – constantly seeking validation and approval. “I had never heard the term before, so I asked her to explain. As she described it, I realized, at times, I’ve given off the same energy without even noticing. It was a wake-up call to see how unattractive and unnecessary it is, and it taught me to be more mindful of how I show up, focusing on being authentic rather than seeking validation.”
To maximize this technique, Bianchi recommends creating an “All Access Mentoring Address Book Group” with diverse contacts from various age groups, backgrounds, and industries. Set a weekly “Wisdom Wednesday” reminder to reach out to one of these unconventional mentors with a specific question or challenge you’re facing. The key is to approach their advice with genuine openness and curiosity, no matter how outlandish it might seem at first.
Journal Your Intentions Every Morning
Stay focused on your dominant intention by spending a moment journaling or meditating each morning. Renee Rose, USA Today bestselling romance author, suggests using the prompt, “What would it take to have/be/receive______ [insert your target or intention]?” She says, “You may receive an idea or answer at the moment, but you may not. The point is to signal to your subconscious to look for the answer. It will open your mind to possibilities or answers or opportunities that show up.”
Talmor, who specializes in simplifying processes, suggests taking it a step further and jotting down business plans while you are journaling. “One quick and effective thing you can do daily, when trying to achieve any goal, is to ask yourself the following question: ‘Do I have a strategy in place, the right tactics to execute it, and the tenacity to implement it into existence?’ If any piece in this Trifecta is missing, then you will immediately know why you have yet to achieve your goal, and what you need to focus on to reach it.”
Take a Solo Walk Once a Day
New York Times Bestselling author Susan Cain says, “Even ten minutes of movement – i.e., a quick walk around the block — will give you the peace, quiet, solitude, and mobility that your body is probably longing for. And even the busiest schedule has time for this.” Communing with nature can help inspire us as well.
One of Bianchi’s clients, Asbed Kehyeian, saw Shakira perform at the Super Bowl years ago, and decided he wanted to style her hair. That night, he stepped out on a balcony to stare at the moon and manifest. A few months later, he got a call from her manager and became Shakira’s colorist. He now claims that all his good fortune comes at moments when he can feel a cold gust of wind on his face, or he finds a coin outdoors.
The “Ridiculous Request” Challenge
Once a day, make an outrageous request in your professional life – the kind you’d typically talk yourself out of. “Women often undermine themselves by not asking for what they really want,” Bianchi points out. “This exercise builds audacity and expands your sense of what’s possible.”
Bianchi says that in order to make this work, you need to ground yourself and picture your heart center opening wide. She has used this technique to get into exclusive nightclubs and even has asked strangers to stop what they are doing in order to collaborate with a film production. She finds that when she is centered and kind, “people fundamentally want to help each other.” Gottlieb concurs: “The other person might not see it as unreasonable at all. Even if you don’t get what you want, you either succeed, or learn and grow.”
See Personal Growth As Play Instead of Work
“These playful techniques tap into our innate creativity and make personal growth feel less like work and more like play,” Bianchi says. By incorporating these quick, enjoyable practices into their daily routines, busy professionals can set positive intentions for their day, overcome personal development fatigue, and make continuous growth a natural, effortless part of their lives.
Personal development is an essential tool for high-achieving women. But when traditional self-help techniques often fall short, these alternatives can jumpstart creativity while reducing burnout.