change

How to Be More Flexible at Work

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Change can be stressful and unsettling. At work, when roles, responsibilities, technology, or business processes change, it can sometimes be hard to accept. When you’re used to doing things a certain way, it can be upsetting to suddenly be asked to do things differently.

But being flexible and adapting to change is actually beneficial. If you’re able to “go with the flow,” you’ll be able to adjust to your new situation more quickly. In addition, your manager will probably appreciate it and recognize your effort to be a good team player. You might have the opportunity to learn new things. And if you don’t try to fight the change, you’ll be less likely to feel angry and stressed.

 So how can you become more flexible at work? Here are a few tips:

  • Accept the fact that things are always changing – Don’t try to prevent things from changing at work, because you’ll only frustrate yourself. Things change at work all the time. It’s best to accept it (and even embrace it!) if you can.
  • Try to stay calm and positive – Change can be hard. But you should try to stay calm, and view the changes in an optimistic light, if possible. Remember that changes can sometimes provide new opportunities, and may actually be beneficial (once you’ve adjusted).
  • Don’t be afraid to ask a lot of questions – Are you confused about the changes that are happening at work? Are you unsure about what your new role or responsibilities will be? If so, then you should ask questions. Lots of them. Getting the information you need will help you to feel more comfortable and secure about the new situation.
  • Jump on the opportunity to learn new skills – Sometimes, when things change at work, it provides you with the opportunity to take on new tasks. And even though this can be daunting at first, it can also help you to learn new skills, which will really benefit you in the long run.
  • Help your coworkers to adjust – One of the best ways for you to get used to a change at work is to help your coworkers to adjust. If you can provide them with support and encouragement, you’ll end up feeling more positive about the change. And your assistance will be greatly appreciated!

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Schawbel, D. (2014, July 2). 10 tips for handling change in the workplace. Quick Base. Retrieved from: https://www.quickbase.com/blog/10-tips-for-handling-change-in-the-workplace

Change Your Life in 30 Days

By in Learning, Living Well No Comments Tags: ,

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Want to mix up your life? Maybe you’d like to learn something new, try out a new hobby, or kick a nasty habit?

Making changes can be exciting and beneficial – but it can also be a little daunting. It can be hard to know where to start, and it may seem a little overwhelming.

So if you’d like to make a change but you’re not sure how to do it, speaker Matt Cutts suggests that you just give it a try for 30 days. Now this may not be long enough to form a new habit. Research actually suggests that it could take anywhere from 18 days to 254 days. But it’s certainly long enough to give you a taste of what the new behavior is like, and perhaps inspire you to continue!

Watch Matt Cutts’s TED Talk to learn more about the 30-day approach.

When You Dread Going to Work (and What to Do About It)

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If you’ve ever dreaded going to work in the morning, you’re certainly not alone. It’s a feeling that most people have probably had, at one time or another. Even an excellent job can sometimes be stressful and difficult.

So what should you do if you’re currently experiencing that terrible sinking feeling every weekday morning? Author Alyse Kalish suggests that you begin by pinpointing the reason for your negative emotions, and then take steps to alleviate them.

Here are four reasons why you might dread going to work (and what to do about it):

  1. You’re bored – If you don’t have stimulating work to do, your workday might seem incredibly dull and ridiculously long. Time seems to move so slowly when you don’t have tasks to keep you occupied. But there are things that you can do to make this bad situation better! Ask your manager to assign you to a new, challenging project, take an online course or some other sort of training, or see if you can assist a coworker who is doing interesting work.
  2. You’re unhappy – Something is bothering you. Maybe it’s your crazy commute, your noisy coworker, or your ridiculously large workload. If you fall into this category, you need to start by identifying the source of your unhappiness. After that, you need to try to alleviate the problem. So if your commute is making you miserable, try to figure out if there’s a different way to get to work – or maybe you could work from home a couple days a week. If your noisy coworker is driving you crazy, try talking to your coworker about it or start wearing headphones. If your workload is unmanageable, talk to your manager about how to prioritize your projects or lighten the load. Don’t just accept your situation as it is. It’s always possible to make a change for the better.
  3. You’re dissatisfied with the way your career is progressing – If you’re not moving forward in your career as you had hoped you would, try talking to your manager about it. Maybe it’s possible for you to take on new types of projects or responsibilities that will help you to move in the right direction.
  4. You’re dealing with big changes – When major changes happen at work, it can sometimes be hard to adjust. Changes can sometimes be really disruptive and upsetting, and it’s not surprising that you might be having a hard time dealing with them. But give it some time. The sadness, confusion, or frustration that you might be feeling won’t last. And if you can overcome this, you’ll emerge stronger and wiser than before.

 

Kalish, A. (n.d.). 5 career ruts everyone gets into at some point (plus, how to get out!). The Muse. Retrieved from https://www.themuse.com/advice/career-ruts-everyone-will-get-into-some-point

 

Making a Change

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A while ago, I wrote an article on how to manage change – not because I’m great at it, but because I’m actually pretty bad at it. When things happen that alter my status quo, it can sometimes be hard for me to deal with it. So it was a topic that I wanted to investigate and a skill that I wanted to improve upon!

But you know what else I’m bad at? Initiating change. Even when it’s pretty clear that a change needs to be made, I’ll often put it off or ignore it. Because, once again, making a change would result in an uncomfortable disruption of my status quo.

So if you’re like me – and maybe there’s a change that you really need to make at work or at home, but you’re hesitant to do it – this is the blog article for you! I have scoured the internet to find helpful tips for change-adverse people who need to make some adjustments. Here’s what I found:

  • Do some brainstorming – Do you know that you need to make a change, but you’re not quite sure how to go about it? Try brainstorming. Write down a list of ideas, no matter how ridiculous. Then review them, refine them, and try to identify your best options.
  • Talk it out – Find someone you trust and run your ideas past him or her. If your friend thinks your ideas are good, this should help give you the confidence to move forward.
  • Take small steps – Need to make a big change, but it feels too overwhelming? Try breaking it down into a few, small, manageable steps. Making small changes will help you to make slow but steady progress towards your goal.
  • Take a chance – This is the hardest one, I think. Change is scary, and so is the unknown. But in order to make a change, you sometimes have to be willing to take a chance. Try not to dwell on the negatives. Instead, think about the amazing things that could happen once you’ve made some alterations. The possibilities are endless!

Good luck! And if you have any additional tips or suggestions, please share them in the Comments section below!