“A prescription only works if you take the medicine.”
In project management, we diagnose issues and prescribe fixes every day — but when the issue is ourselves (career burnout, stagnation, loss of motivation), taking our own advice can be harder. I explore this in my latest blog post:
Faith DixonStudent| University of TennesseeNashville, TN, United States
Attending trainings to help boost my knowledge and experience plus skills
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1 reply by Aaron Porter
Nov 17, 2025 10:22 AM
Aaron Porter
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As a lifelong learner, I'm there. Do you focus more on areas that fill a gap at your employer or that align with your career goals (there can be overlap, but the impact is not always equal).
At a prior employer, after we went to training we were expected to give a presentation to the other project managers on what we learned and how it could be applied. I found this was a great way to keep the content fresh and consider ways to make it applicable at the office.
Attending trainings to help boost my knowledge and experience plus skills
As a lifelong learner, I'm there. Do you focus more on areas that fill a gap at your employer or that align with your career goals (there can be overlap, but the impact is not always equal).
At a prior employer, after we went to training we were expected to give a presentation to the other project managers on what we learned and how it could be applied. I found this was a great way to keep the content fresh and consider ways to make it applicable at the office. Saving Changes...
Luis BrancoCEO| Business Insight, Consultores de Gestão, LdªCarcavelos, Lisboa, Portugal
Oct 08, 2025 5:47 PM
Replying to Aaron Porter
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Luis, Rami's response does a good job of giving my answer. Mentoring/coaching, volunteering with my local chapter (when I have time), and interacting with others at chapter events (which seems odd considering how much of a homebody I can be). I also enjoy learning new things that I can apply in solving problems or accomplishing objectives and sharing that with others to help them grow.
It's not the day-to-day aspects of managing projects, it's realizing outcomes and objectives that helps keep things fresh.
Thanks, Aaron I really appreciate your practical take on this.
What you shared reflects something essential: action creates energy.
What I’ve found, though, is that small moments of reflection amplify that energy, even a brief pause to reconnect with purpose or meaning before jumping into the next task.
The doing keeps us moving; the being keeps us aligned.
When those two come together, rejuvenation becomes sustainable.
Curious: has there been a moment in your journey where a small shift in focus — internal or external — made a noticeable difference? Saving Changes...
Project Manager| AWR Development (BD) Ltd. Cox's Bazer , Bangladesh
Great question, Aaron. For me, keeping my career fresh has meant learning continuously and changing how I work, not necessarily where I work. Taking on new challenges, mentoring others, experimenting with new tools, and reflecting on lessons learned from each project have all helped keep the work meaningful and energizing.
Consultant| Canarys Automation LtdBangalore, Karnataka, India
For me, keeping my career fresh hasn’t been about changing roles, but changing perspective. A few things that have worked well: Relearning fundamentals through new lenses – revisiting core PM concepts while applying them to new domains, technologies, or delivery models. Staying close to technology – not to chase tools, but to understand how emerging tech (AI, automation, analytics) can improve outcomes, not just execution. Teaching and mentoring – explaining concepts to others consistently renews my own clarity and motivation. Purpose-driven work – consciously tying projects to business impact and people outcomes keeps the work meaningful, even under pressure.
Like you said, the prescription only works if we take it. For me, that’s meant intentional learning, reflection, and contribution, not necessarily a new title or employer. Saving Changes...
Project Manager| AWR Development (BD) Ltd. Cox's Bazer , Bangladesh
Great question, Aaron. For me, continuous learning and exploring new tools or methods helps keep things fresh. Even small changes in how we approach projects can bring new energy and perspective to the work. Saving Changes...
Project Manager| AWR Development (BD) Ltd. Cox's Bazer , Bangladesh
Great question, Aaron. For me, what keeps things fresh is continuously learning and trying new approaches—especially exploring AI and new tools in project work.
Also, stepping back occasionally to reflect on what’s working (and what isn’t) helps avoid routine fatigue. Even small changes in how we approach problems can bring new energy. Saving Changes...
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