Big shifts require small changes.
Improving your career doesn’t need to be a massive overhaul. Taking simple steps each day to implement new habits can lead to enormously positive changes in your professional life.
Join the #Thinktober journey to break out the box!
Don’t miss out! Catch up on last week’s challenges.
13 October
Dig a Little Deeper
With all the information we have at our fingertips in the internet age, it’s never been easier to learn something new.
There are probably one or two ideas that immediately spring to mind when you think of something you’d like to read more about. Spending as little as 10 minutes a day could allow you to learn more about that thing. All it takes is the initial starting point.
Digging deeper could also mean signing up for a new course and allowing yourself to engage fully with material relevant to your career. It can be as easy as clicking a button to take the next step to learn.
To-do today: Dive into researching a new concept, or dig deeper into something you find fascinating!
7 October
Find a Solution
Innovation isn’t about the replication of products and ideas. It involves contextualised solves. What are the biggest challenges your customers, community and colleagues or employees face? What data can you collect about the problem? How can you use this to adapt? Ask yourself the following questions:
- – What problem am I seeking to solve in my business or role?
- – What is preventing me from solving this problem?
- – How have competitors dealt with similar problems?
- – What are the opportunities I’ll enjoy in the next few years once this is solved?
As Einstein said, “We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.” Become a problem solver and allow your thinking and potential to expand.
To-do today: Keep an eye out for a problem area and think about novel solutions you can innovate.
8 October
Implement Movement in the Office
If you’ve ever had a good gym session before work, you are probably familiar with the feeling of increased motivation and mental clarity that follows.
Adding movement to your day at the office can have a profound effect on both your energy and mood. Studies show that physical activity can positively promote all areas of your emotional and mental wellbeing.
“Exercise improves mental health by reducing anxiety, depression and negative mood and by improving self-esteem and cognitive function.”
Callaghan P., National Center for Biotechnology Information
It can be as simple as taking the stairs instead of the elevator or taking a quick stroll around the office every half hour. Implement a new activity each day to make movement a habit. Your body and mind will thank you.
To-do today: Think about different ways you can include exercise in your daily regime, and pick the best option.
9 October
Tackle a Different Duty
It’s easy to get stuck in a pit of mediocrity when you have to do the same thing day after day. Adding something new to your day may be just the thing you need to heighten your motivation, offering the get-up-and-go you might be lacking.
During the day, think of how you can perform a new task in your job to improve company operations.
Asking to take on a different role also shows that you’re ready to take initiative, which won’t fail to add a positive feather in your cap.
If you’re interested in taking on a new task in a different department, see if you can job shadow at your office. If you have the capacity and permission, sit in on a brainstorming meeting with a different department to see how else you can grow and learn about your company.
To-do today: Find an opportunity to undertake a new challenge.
10 October
Avoid the Frown & Write it Down
At some point in your life, you’ve had an amazing idea, only to forget it shortly after convincing yourself that you’ll remember it. It happens to everybody, and is possibly one of the more frustrating things life has to offer.
To avoid this, carry a notebook around and jot down any worthwhile ideas you may have while on the go. If an incredible idea pops up, you’ll have a surefire way of keeping it from slipping away!
Having that little reminder in your back pocket can also help you maintain focus during the day, keeping you alert to anything relevant and important you might miss.
To-do today: Carry a notebook around, ready to write down ideas and inspirations.
11 October
Get to Know Someone New
Whether your office is massive, with thousands of busy individuals milling around, or tiny, with a handful of people in your task-force, there are usually only one or two people with whom you actively put in the effort to chat.
Take time out today to branch out and connect with someone with whom you haven’t had a conversation before. It doesn’t need to be a lengthy debate or a deep and meaningful conversation – chatting to someone with whom you are not familiar can help push you out of your comfort zone and lead to new ideas, as it challenges your way of thinking and allows for new perspectives.
To-do today: Have a conversation with a new person at the water cooler.
12 October
Say Goodbye to Waste & Hello to Inspiration
It’s Saturday! Congratulations, you’ve made it through the week!
Celebrate by treating yourself to a cup of hot coffee from your favourite local coffee shop! Double up the reasons to celebrate by taking (or buying) your own reusable eco cup and making your java an environmentally-friendly one.
The more you think about the ways you can reduce your carbon footprint, the more inspired you’ll find yourself at work.
To-do today: Take an eco cup to buy coffee from your local cafe.
Watch this space for next week’s career-changing daily prompts!
