The short answer is spend some (not all) of your free time on learning skills and self improvement. Over the last six years I've always tried to have side proje

The short answer is spend some (not all) of your free time on learning skills and self improvement. Over the last six years I've always tried to have side projects going, I have volunteered to help other people's projects and I have picked up a lot of skills from those. I also volunteered to attend training and read books that I might not have in the past.