As a recent grad, I have dealt with many new challenges and experiences. I’ve been put through my paces more than a few times. I’ve spent whole Saturdays in bed from exhaustion. My life has fallen into a patterned routine of going to work, coming home to take care of my dogs, and then relaxing with what time I have left in the day. I’ve become sedentary and predictable. Despite feeling comfortable in my job and having many people around for support, I have struggled to feel as if I am excelling to the best of my ability. I used to be active and in shape. I used to have time to enjoy my hobbies. I feel as if that has all slipped away. But, where could it have gone? I don’t have any less time than before. Why am I in such a rut?

I bring up all of these thoughts for a reason.

The reason deals with the world and ideas of Agile. While Agile is most often used in the world of requirements and business/IT, the idea behind it is rather intriguing.

While laying in bed unable to sleep, I tried to come up with an idea to try and get my life back on track. It seems like a vague and massive feat to attempt. It sounds as if it would be hard to measure. But then, I thought about the things I have learned in the past eight months. I remembered all the things about business project development tactics/methodology I’d been taught. I just had to figure out what would work best.

That’s when it hit me. I would set up my time like sprints in an Agile project. It made perfect sense.

As of now, I will use Agile tactics to measure and track my progress and success. I can set short term sprint goals/objectives and overall goals that may take multiple sprints to accomplish. I can sit down at a specific time every week and go over what I accomplished, where I faltered, what I over/underestimated. I can use the people who see me on a regular basis as quasi stakeholders. With that in mind, I can elicit feedback from family and friends. All of these things help break up and itemize the gargantuan task of “getting my life on track”.  It’s amazing how work works into your thought process. I like to think that the work I am doing isn’t just to help a business build or launch a project. I choose to believe that the skills I am learning, while I work, are helping me to grow in life.

What ways can you think of to use Agile/Product Management/Business/IT methodology in your life?

Thanks for reading, and please feel free to share any personal experiences with this topic in the comments!