I’ve come to realize that setting aside intentional time for processing & reflection soon after attending a conference or other professional development experience is crucial.

I routinely set aside a couple of hours or even a half day after the event to go through all of my notes, pull out key concepts, think about new ideas, and establish next actions.

Let’s face it: this processing time is unlikely to happen once you’re back in the office, having resumed your daily workload and serving your team. It’s not the kind of thing we drift toward.

If it’s worth the investment to attend, why not finish well?