Difficult But Rewarding Things You Should Do
By Sandy Schroeder
Sometimes when we settle into our comfort zones, we lose much of our effectiveness. That groove can be just a little too comfortable.
Travis Bradberry, co-founder of TalentSearch, an agency used by many Fortune 500 companies, tells us something we already suspected. We usually have to feel a little stress and be a bit uncomfortable to perform at our best.
It’s a balancing act. If you go too far you melt, but if you don’t move enough, you just hover, going nowhere fast. Try these challenges:
Set the Alarm an Hour Early
This may be asking a lot if you are not a morning person. But you may be surprised at how well it works. You can exercise, fix a good breakfast and map out your day, all before your normal routine usually begins. You may create a smug one-step-ahead feeling that could last all day.
Meditate to Energize Your Mind
A simple meditation in the morning or midday lets your brain regroup. This works amazingly well for me when I have been plunging ahead to get the job down. Everything calms down, and often looks much clearer. Sometimes inspiration strikes, and a totally new idea pops right up.
Work on Just One Issue
We often feel pressured to juggle several tasks, keeping everything up to speed. Actually working on just one task may accomplish much more. Instead of bobbing back and forth, you can actually solve the problem at hand, and move on. Once you have made this work, multi-tasking may seem futile, stifling creativity and fueling ongoing tension.
Think Before You Speak
It may feel really good to tell someone why they are wrong, or what really happened. But that moment of satisfaction may not be worth the bad feelings and ill will that follows. Holding your tongue and inviting others to comment can often generate a better discussion, where everybody feels like they have been heard, working together to get the job done.
Say "No" Loud and Clear
This may be the most uncomfortable thing you do all day. If it is your nature to try to say yes, you may say yes when you should not. In the interest of moving ahead, learn when to say no. You may be surprised at how easily the atmosphere shifts, and other answers are found, when you do not just automatically say yes.
When you try difficult or uncomfortable tasks, and they actually work, you may be encouraged to look for more ways to reinvent yourself. Whatever works to keep you happy, and your work moving, could be worth the exploration. Enjoy the process! Sometimes the best answers are still out there, just waiting to be spotted.
