Change - Everyone deals with it differently. Some adapt easily, some not so much! Recently I’ve had to deal with change within my own, usually quite normal life. A career change was present, and for the first time in 18 years, I was not behind a desk managing the day to day grind. Gone were the things I knew.
No more Monday morning management meetings, Tuesday night conference calls, regional out of town quarterlies, no more daily landslide of emails, promotional plans, best practices, committee conferences, strategic development, stats analysis -(my favourite part) and yes even dreaded budgeting were all gone…man I loved that stuff.
A friend recently questioned if I was "stepping outside of myself" as I veered off my normal path in life, taking a little less conservative approach to my day to day ritual. It didn’t take much soul searching to realize that stepping outside was a great way for me to approach change. With change comes opportunity, and after all, the past 18 years had been pretty predictable…..so I began to take a grander view of what I was missing and reflect on what I would do differently going forward. They say hindsight is 20/20 here’s what I’ve learned so far:
1. Work/Life Balance - We so often get it wrong! Find the best balance to suit your lifestyle. Many type A’s like myself have tried to squeeze 150% into 100% and the result is often 75% or less productivity. I believe that everyone has their own work/life balance, and until you shake it up a bit, you won’t be able to know what balance is best for you! I’m still working to get mine right!
2. Try Something New - Remember that idea that you said absolutely no to? Why not revisit it. I’m not saying you should do something that you don’t believe in, but why not open your mind to a new product, promotion or idea that you’ve passed on before. Re-invent an old idea to suit your needs.
3. Compassion - In business we often don’t have enough of it. It doesn’t fit into deadlines well, can interfere with profitability and takes extra time that we often just don’t have. On the flip side, compassion connects you to others on a deeper more personal level than sticking with the same practiced routine! When it comes to relationship building, even in business compassion is a wonderful trait to have. (more to come on this one as I am very compassionate about it) :)
4. Fun - You need it to survive, inside and outside a work environment. I didn’t have or share enough of it. Add some fun in your life but also in the lives of others. If you are in a work environment and fun does not exist on some level then productivity levels may decrease. For those who believe fun = lower productivity, please refer to point #2.
5. Decisions without Regret - In work and in life we make decisions all day long. What will you eat for breakfast? What shoes will you wear? How will you respond to an irate customer? What staffing changes will you plan? Is it time to leave your job? Is it time to try something new? The great thing about decisions is they are yours to make! I’ve made some bad decisions in my life doing things that I thought would be good. I’ve also made some decisions recently which have taken me out of my comfort zone – and I’m ok with that! Bottom line – be ok with your decisions, good or bad, learn and grow from them.
When was the last time you stepped outside yourself and tried something a little different from the norm?
The result just might surprise you!
Wishing you the best today can bring!
"Work is one of the most fundamental aspects in a person's life, providing the individual with a means of financial support and, as importantly, a contributory role in society. A person's employment is an essential component of his or her sense of identity, self-worth and emotional well-being."
-- Chief Justice Dickson, in Reference re: Public Service Employee Relations Act (Alberta), [1987] 1 S.C.R. 313 (Supreme Court of Canada),
