Wowee… it’s been a month since I’ve sat down and wrote something. I’ve read many posts that say not to call our how long it’s been since your last post, but this month off has shown me the importance of continual writing.
No matter what career path you choose, I’d argue that writing can be the tool to accelerate your career. I’m not advocating that everyone in the world needs to be writing a blog, or a daily journal, or a dream chart. But, if you make time to write, then it can make a world of difference.
flickr photo by photosteve101
And here are 3 reasons why I think this:
1. It forces you to think…
Too many times in our jobs and careers, especially early on, we get caught up just DOING. When we are learning a new position, we look to our boss to give us our next duty because we aren’t exactly sure what our role is. When in a position for a while, people tend to do things they have always done because they’ve worked. Giving yourself a set time to write also gives you a set time to think. Write about an obstacle you see daily, write out an idea you had, or write out a schedule to help a process go more smoothly. This time to write makes you step out of your cube or office and look from the outside in.
2. You take on a different viewpoint…
Often when we write, you don’t sit down and think about something you want to say to yourself. Does that make sense? If you were going to sit down and write something to yourself, then you would normally not have to write anything down. Writing for an audience forces you to think about their viewpoint on the subject, how you can reach them, and how you can engage them. Whether you are a math professor, PR/Marketing Pro, or a Manager at a grocery store. Sitting down to write can force you to put yourself in someone else’s shoes.
3. You will be better at communicating verbally…
By writing, you get to practice what you’d say. In a formal, informal, or brief setting, you can write in that particular voice. Practice by giving yourself a situation and then writing out what you would say. Proofreading what you wrote can even make you spot sentences where you can be more clear or concise, so when you are speaking with someone you maintain their attention.
Writing can make a world of difference for anyone. Try it. And since it is always good to have evidence to arguments that your write about, check out this article written on a site for that helps professors at MIT “teaching MIT students the techniques, forms, and traditions of contemporary writing, media, and communication.” It gives the reasons WHY professors give students all of those WRITING assignments in and out of class.
