Gemma Clarke
While specializing or ‘niching down’ in your career may enhance your professional potential, being well-rounded will elevate your personal life in many ways.
Well-rounded people possess a wide range of skills, abilities, and knowledge.
Often referred to as “Jacks of all trades,” well-rounded people constantly surprise those around them with their wide range of skills.
But being well-rounded isnāt just about what you know.
A well-rounded person has fully developed their personality, possessing a balance of desirable traits and qualities.
This allows them to maintain an open-minded approach to life and adapt to different situations.
What’s more, as well-rounded people value growth, these individuals are constantly moving towards the best versions of themselves.
So, how can you become more well-rounded? Start by adopting these daily habitsā¦
1) Read for 30 minutes
Well-rounded people all have one key thing in common – they never stop learning!
They carve out time every day to increase their knowledge. One common way they do this is by reading.
Rather than binge-watching the latest Netflix drama, well-rounded people wind down at night with a good book.
But which is better, non-fiction or fiction?
They both have their benefits.
Novels are wonderful for increasing imagination and creative thinking, so they’re a top choice if you’re looking to improve your creative skills.
Fiction can also help you develop interpersonal skills like empathy.
Non-fiction, on the other hand, improves your:
- General knowledge
- Understanding of the world, including different cultures
- Knowledge of historical events
- Teaches you life lessons
- Challenges your views and beliefs
I love reading books on self-growth and personal development.
These books are powerful tools for healing and growth. They introduce us to new perspectives and help us become more open-minded.
Moreover, research shows all types of books:
- Develop and extend your vocabulary, helping to improve your communication skills
- Enhance cognitive functioning and support brain health
But what if you’re not a fan of reading?
In that case, be sure to develop the following habit insteadā¦
2) Listen to a podcast
I love podcasts; they are a super convenient and effortless way to learn something new.
You can easily listen to one podcast (minimum) a day by tuning in while doing the following:
- Commuting
- Walking the dog
- Working out
- Cooking
- Doing chores
Along with gaining more knowledge, podcasts improve your:
- Vocabulary
- Focus and attention span
- Listening skills
I also find that podcasts enhance my curiosity and desire to learn.
They can become almost addictive, and before long, you’ll have a library full of podcast episodes waiting to be listened to!
3) Learn a new skill
Being well-rounded means having various skills and abilities in your personal AND professional life.
Therefore, in addition to increasing career-related knowledge and skills, you should make an effort every day to learn a new personal skill or improve an existing one.
This could be:
- A new language
- Cooking/baking
- Home DIY
- Gardening
By increasing your personal skills, you become not only more skillful and knowledgeable but also more self-sufficient.
For example, if something breaks at home, if you’re a well-rounded person, you will try to fix the problem (safely) yourself rather than immediately calling for help.
As part of my commitment to becoming more well-rounded, whenever I have an issue at home, I always try to learn the skills required to take care of it myself.
Honestly, there is a YouTube video for everything!
Of course, sometimes the issue is beyond my abilities, and I have to call in a professional. But often, I realize that the solution is much simpler than I first thought.
And, of course, adopting this can-do, problem-solving attitude will also benefit your professional life!
4) Network
Networking is an underrated way to gain new knowledge.
Networking is not just about promoting yourself or finding people to collaborate with.
It allows you to work on and improve your communication skillsāskills that are essential in all aspects of life!
These skills include:
- Active Listening
- Problem-solving
- The ability to gain trust and respect
- Empathy
Moreover, the more people you meet and talk to, the more opinions, perspectives, and beliefs you encounter.
People who know a diverse range of people (i.e., people of different backgrounds and upbringings) are typically much more open-minded and less judgmental than those with only like-minded acquaintances.
Here’s another way to improve your communication skills and become a well-rounded personā¦
5) Engage in meaningful conversations
Deep conversations don’t just strengthen our relationships. They also stimulate our curiosity and open our minds to new perspectives and experiences.
For example, we might hold a strong view on a particular topic. But if we share our view with someone who thinks differently, we are introduced to a new perspective.
Meaningful conversations also help us become more honest and vulnerable, two qualities that are often underdeveloped in people.
So, how can we go deeper in our interactions?
One way is to put down our phones and be present with our loved ones.
Research shows that eating dinner with our families without phones on the table significantly increases the depth and quality of the conversation.
Secondly, research has found that strangers are excellent people with whom to have deep conversations.
While we usually stick with small talk with people we don’t know well, a 2021 study published by the American Psychological Association found that most people prefer to go deep.
From a series of 12 experiments with over 1,800 participants, researchers found that most people enjoy the connection of having a meaningful conversation with a stranger. And despite what we may think, they don’t feel awkward to go deep.
So, make a habit of having more meaningful conversations with the people you interact with, both your loved ones and acquaintances.
And while interacting with others, ensure you are doing plenty of the followingā¦
6) Ask questions
Kids are known for their innate sense of curiosity and frequent questioning.
They don’t question everything to annoy their parents but to learn.
Since we first start talking, we use questions to understand the world around us.
However, once we become adults, we stop asking questions, often due to a fear of looking stupid.
To avoid losing face, we pretend to know how to do something rather than admit our limitations and seek advice.
But by doing so, we hinder our potential for learning and growth.
Plusā¦
Questions give us clarity, helping us understand what we are doing and WHY we are doing it.
According to research, many projects fail because their members fail to question why they are doing things that particular way.
So, to become more well-rounded and successful, reconnect with your child-like nature and make asking questions a habit againā¦
7) Go to a fitness class
To become a well-rounded individual, you need to be open to new experiences in all areas of life.
One way you can get comfortable with the unknown is through exercise.
Here’s howā¦
Whether joining a new gym or attending your first yoga class, exercise pushes us out of our comfort zone and into a new environment.
Working out also teaches us about ourselves as we learn what our bodies are capable of and how far we can push ourselves.
However, the key is not to do the same workout every day but to mix it up as much as possible.
For example, if you only do strength training, other aspects of your fitness, such as cardiorespiratory endurance, will remain low.
Moreover, when you always do the same exercise, you become complacent, which hinders your growth.
So, instead, get into the habit of regularly trying different fitness activities.
An easy way to do this is to join a gym that offers various classes.
That way, you can try out all the offerings and develop a well-rounded workout regime.
8) Evaluate your day
Finally, to become the most well-rounded person you can be, spend time each day evaluating yourself and your actions.
Doing so will highlight areas you need to work on, helping you develop the skills and qualities you lack.
Here’s how I incorporate this habit into my lifeā¦
At the end of each day, I write down the things that went well and those that didn’t.
I then dive deeper into the things that didn’t go well, asking myself what I could have done differently to create a better outcome. This helps me learn what to do next time.
Once self-evaluation becomes a habit, you’ll reach higher levels of self-awareness and find it easier to spot areas of improvement.
However, if you’re not used to evaluating yourself, you might find it challenging initially.
Therefore, I recommended using guided journal prompts.
If you still struggle to identify your strengths and weaknesses, seek feedback from people you trust and respect.
Final thoughts
By introducing these eight habits into your daily life, you’ll develop many positive qualities, from open-mindedness to adaptability to integrity.
Therefore, approaching life in a well-rounded way will benefit your career, not hinder it, even if your job is highly specialized.
The more well-rounded you are, the more interesting and valuable you become to others. It’s not about impressing people with your diverse skill set but about effortlessly navigating the inevitable ebbs and flows of life.
