Handle the pressure of transformation at work.
What to do when change happens to you at work and they call it transformation.
The shock can stop you from moving forward, here’s how to get unstuck and moving towards your next best move.
They call it “transformation.”
A new vision so great requires a lot of change and uncertainty. Along with the transformation, there is increasing pressure to perform without actually knowing what your future is at the company. This can quickly block your performance and hold you back from progressing.
Decide to not let the pressure get to you, by taking care of yourself first.
Pressure shows up in your body like this:
Stomach pain
Headaches
Sore jaw (from clenching teeth together)
Sleepless nights
Exhaustion and unable to take on other projects
Feeling of dread
Unable to get work done
Not able to pay attention
Tips on how to get unstuck and moving forward.
If you are tired and feeling like you are stuck in a circle give these tips a try to keep moving forward and most importantly… stay relevant to the business.
1) Turn on Positivity
Our brains are naturally negative biased. We are always on the look out for perceived threats. When in a challenging situation where there are many unknowns it could keep you in a downward spiral.
Being negative impacts how management sees you and most team members won’t like being around you.
What to do?
Spend time with positive coworkers and listen with an open mind. Don’t try to justify or fight back against what they say. Stay open.
Write down 10 things that are going well right now.
Remind yourself that change can be for the better.
2) Turn On Your Creativity
With our negative bias brain, we will often paint a horrible picture of what can go wrong. We can almost convince ourselves that it is true and believe that the changes will be bad for us. It may even feel like life is over.
What to do?
Create your own happy ending!
Instead of the worst-case scenario, create the best-case scenario. And then create another one. Keep making as many best-case scenarios as you can. If you cannot see a best-case scenario as true, ask a friend to help you brainstorm ideas of what could go right.
3) Keep Your Eyes and Ears Open
As change happens in an organization there may be a lot of communication or very little. It is best to see how many different ways you can learn about what is happening as the company evolves. This is not about gossiping. This is about trying to read between the lines to understand what is important and what is not so you can stay relevant to the needs of the organization.
What to do?
Learn from your line manager.
Go to lunch with people from other departments to see what they know.
Read.
Ask questions from a curiosity perspective.
See how the company talks to the press about the changes.
4) Talk it Out
A lot of times when we spend too much time in our heads thinking. The magnitude and power of our thoughts will keep you stuck in a loop if you don’t interrupt them.
What to do?
Find a neutral person and ask them to listen without judgement or feedback for 10 minutes. Tell them everything. Blast off and get it all out. After 10 minutes, take a deep breath and notice one important thing about what you said. Ask the person what they heard as important to you. No trying to fix things right now, get your frustrations out of your head and body.
5) Learn or Do Something New
Learning keeps you open minded and allows you see more solutions than before. Learning is also a great distraction and gives your mind a break from negative thinking.
What to do?
Take a course to help broaden your skill set.
Take on a new challenge or project at work that is outside your comfort zone.
Learn a new hobby or sport to give yourself a true break from work.
By giving yourself a task that is outside of work, you start to bring yourself into a positive direction, create a bit of momentum and finally… get yourself unstuck ☺
Good Food Reading
Who Moved My Cheese?: An A-Mazing Way to Deal with Change in Your Work and in Your Life, By Dr. Spencer Johnson
Positive Intelligence. Only 20% of Teams and Individuals Achieve their True Potential, By Shirzad Chamine
