Do Your Commitments Make Sense? How to Improve Your Happiness

Bruce is the founder of ProjectManagementHacks.com, a resource for growing IT project managers.

  Career Development  

The end of the year is one of my favorite times. It’s a time to celebrate, give generously, and plan for the coming year. As 2025 approaches, set some time aside to think about your approach to giving and volunteering. It’s time to question your commitments to see if they still make sense.

What Is A PM Philanthropy Reset?
A reset is a specific time for quiet reflection on your commitments in life as they relate to volunteering. It’s a time to ask probing questions to determine if your commitments still suit your goals, values, and interests.

In a moment, I’ll share a series of prompts you can use to think through the process. Most people can complete a reset in an hour or two. The process might extend to half a day (like a Saturday morning) if you add related activities like goal setting.

Recently, I wrote about the “fresh start effect” on ProjectManagement.com. A reset is related to a fresh start, but is much more flexible. You can do it whenever you want. In my experience, a desire for a reset in life tends to be triggered by events like a health scare, a significant change in life circumstances, or career disruption. (Of course, you can also perform a reset whenever you desire.)

The Key Questions for a Philanthropy Reset
Start by setting aside at least an hour for reflection. Like so much of life, the more effort you put into…

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