It's easy to get caught in the loop of do your role i.e.: plan, organize, execute and to lose sight of your long term career goals. What do you do to keep learning/studying so to speak? As an engineer this was a much easier thing to consider and handle whereas comparatively a PM can't easily learn things from books Do you read about other products? Study markets to understand trends? Read on strategies to evaluate new opportunities?
Learn how your manager makes decisions
Join organizations and network, network, network!
Read and consume content that has nothing to do with technology. Learn how people see the world from as many perspectives as possible, using the humanities as a compass. Increase your empathy and cultural awareness; you'll build better products.
On the management side of things read HBR. Read business books. And, do not forget to keep yourself updated on the technology trends in your area.
interview customers and non-customers using design thinking methods
I try to read / listen to books/ blogs etc that make you think and give a different perspective. Read: habit summit articles Podcasts: exponent, a16z, masters of scale
I don't have much free time on my hands, so working at a company that focuses on career development is key. Outside of that, I read articles/books about other company strategies/ their products and listen to "100 PMs" and "This is Product Management" podcasts. Hopefully you get more responses because this is something I'm trying to focus on as well.
Thanks for the podcast heads up. Those sound interesting!