A break from intense learning is always something to enjoy, look forward to and plan for. If your program is particularly demanding, time off might not be very restful. But that doesn’t mean you don’t need it. We know what you’re thinking. Your friends are binge-watching another series while you're wondering: Should I be doing something more strategic with my break? The answer? Absolutely.
Read – yes, read. There’s something to be said about being a student of the game. You know, keeping your ear to the ground, listening, reading, paying attention to what’s happening in the industry you want to work in, even when it isn’t for an assignment. Visit your favourite websites and read about what’s going on in the marketing profession.
There are plenty of things you can do to stay current. One option is to sign up for the Canadian Marketing Association’s Top 5 Picks (T5P) , which highlights some recent articles written by CMA members, CMA Councils, as well as the most recent CMA playbooks to help you stay immersed in the profession as it evolves. Creating a free CMA account here ensures the newsletter will be delivered directly to your inbox weekly. If you want to work in a field, you should have some idea of what’s happening in it, right? Exercising your mind is never a bad thing to do to unwind.
Have connections you wanted to build but haven’t taken the step yet? This might be a chance to grow your network on your time off. Send an invitation and a personal note to that person you wanted to connect with , working in the role you want to get into. Building connections takes time, and you may not have had the time to reach out to people you wanted to connect with so far this semester. Why not reach out now? After all, as they say, you never know what a connection might lead to.
If you enjoy listening to music, maybe between your favourite artists, try expanding your horizons by exploring a new podcast focused on marketing. Podcasts centred around marketing feature marketers addressing topics that will help you stay current and follow the profession, guided by their insights. Listening is also a great way to relax while increasing your knowledge about current events in the profession you want to get into. Use it as much as you can to help inspire you creatively.
For example, you could use your time off to learn more about consumer behaviour by listening to a podcast that studies consumer psychology. There are marketing podcasts everywhere, if you need somewhere to start, try CMA Connect , the Canadian Marketing Association’s podcast for everything marketing. With CMA Connect, marketing leaders sit down with CMA President and CEO Alison Simpson, to discuss where the profession is heading and how it will get there.
You could also give back to the community you live in. You could volunteer your time at a not-for-profit doing marketing-related tasks to build up your experience. If volunteering helps you decompress, why not earn some marketing experience at the same time? Get creative and search for ways that you feel comfortable with to earn the experience you need to make a name for yourself in the profession. If you don’t know where to start, check your city’s webpage for more information on volunteering.
When you notice the time and realize classes resume tomorrow, what do you think you’ll be thinking about? Was it the last chapter of the book you couldn’t put down? Maybe the trend you noticed is being discussed on a podcast. Was it the latest connection you made with someone who holds the position you want one day? You did a lot more than just sitting on the couch didn’t you? As Joshua Fields Millburn once said, “There’s no refund on time poorly spent.” What exactly did you do with your time off?
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