Assess and reset your life and career during the last 10 nights of Ramadan

The month of Ramadan is an ideal time for self-reflection and self-development. As Muslims, we use the opportunity that Ramadan offers to assess our spiritual lives, family relationships, and even our physical well-being. In this article, I share some ideas on how to be more methodical and deliberate about our self-reflection in Ramadan so that it is meaningful for the rest of the year.

Personal development gurus talk about the importance of taking a personal retreat once every quarter or once a year to reflect on where you are now and where you want to be in the future. I believe that Ramadan offers the opportunity to do precisely this through the Prophetic practice of seclusion (known as i’tikaaf) during the last 10 nights of Ramadan.

Having said that, I appreciate that i’tikaaf is not for everybody, and many Muslim professionals aren’t in a position to dedicate ten nights for a level of seclusion that'll take them away from their family and work responsibilities.

However, I believe we can at least adopt the spirit of i'tikaaf during these last ten nights by taking the time (even for a few minutes each night) to reflect on areas of our life that we know need reflection and development. Here are some practical tips on how to make this work:

1. PLAN YOUR MINI-I’TIKAAF

If you can’t devote all ten nights to I’tikaaf, pick the times during the evenings or day that you can be alone, ideally in a mosque, for some personal reflection and quiet thinking. Leave your phones at home or at the office, and disconnect yourself completely from the world around you for just these few hours.

2. ASSESS WHERE YOU ARE NOW

Start each session of seclusion with prayer, recitation of the Quran and remembrance of God. This will put you in a spiritual state and prepare you for deeper introspection. Then, using a journal, reflect on the four major areas of your life: work, home, self and community. Think hard about where you’re doing well and where you’re struggling, and give your performance an honest score from 0 to 100 percent in each of these areas.

3. ASSESS WHERE YOU WANT TO BE

Ask yourself where you want to be between one and five years from now in each of the four areas above. Going beyond five years might make this exercise arbitrary and not grounded in reality, so this is a good time-frame. Ideally, think of three scenarios for your life that you want to achieve within the next five years that would cover the four areas above. Which scenarios are the most realistic? Which scenario would you adopt if money and resources were not an issue? How can you make all of these scenarios a reality?

4. TALK TO THE RIGHT PEOPLE

Think of individuals you know (or are connected with on social media) who are living an ideal future version of your own life. Set up a 30-minute call with them, or if they live nearby, invite them over for coffee or lunch after Ramadan. Use these opportunities to gather more information about the life you want to lead and how to get there.

5. MAKE SMALL INVESTMENTS IN YOUR FUTURE SELF

Now that you know where you are, where you need to go, and how to get there, start making small investments in your future self; take an online course, learn a new skill, or hire a coach or mentor to help you navigate your way to your future you. As they compound, these small investments can make a huge difference to your life.

The month of Ramadan is an opportunity for us to self-reflect and take a holistic view of our lives as well as our careers spiritually, physically and socially. The more time we take to reflect on these areas and align them with our life goals as well as our purpose as servants of God, the more impactful the results will be after Ramadan.

Mohammed Faris is an international coach, author and speaker who helps executives, professionals and entrepreneurs rebalance their lives spiritually, physically and socially to achieve peak performance and live meaningful lives. He’s the founder of ProductiveMuslim.com and author of The Productive Muslim: Where Faith Meets Productivity.