I give you a guest post by my friend Ben Eubanks of UpstartHR and HRevolution fame. Yes, I realize it is about one million degrees outside and far from Groundhog Day but who can resist referencing this hilarious movie!
If you’ve ever seen the movie “Groundhog Day,” you know what I am talking about. The main character is forced to relive the same day over and over again. He tries everything to escape before finally just realizing that he can do anything he wants. Could the plot of “Groundhog Day” be a parallel for your outlook on work? If you wake up every day and do the exact same thing over and over, then it’s time for a change! Here are three tips for breaking the monotony:
New Routine
If you are sitting in your office doing repetitive, boring work, why not get something out of the time you’re spending? Find a podcast to listen to or seek out a free webinar you can play in the background. Or you can daydream about the next event you’ll be attending.
New Partner
If you’re having trouble with motivation, maybe you need a partner! It could be someone else in your department or even someone at another local company who can meet with you once a month to brainstorm ideas and share tips/tricks. Start networking and find someone to hook up with!
New Mentor
If you think you are at the top of your game and that you may need some outside help to continue growing and learning, a mentor could be just the thing for you. A mentor can be nearly anyone who is more proficient than you in a specific area. For instance, if you’re looking to enhance your knowledge of finance, you should look for someone who is already doing well in that area and try to learn from them. One of the greatest lessons I’ve learned is that Twitter is a fantastic way to be informally mentored (if you make the time for it). Find someone who’s talking about a topic you are interested in and ask them a question. When they respond, try to send them a DM or email expanding on the Q&A and asking for their opinion on something. If nothing else in the world is true, people love to share their own opinions! Are you living in Groundhog Day? If so, what are you going to do to break free? And if you haven’t seen the movie Groundhog Day, here’s a little preview. Good stuff.
Photo credit: NotionsCapital
Ben Eubanks is an HR professional from Huntsville, AL. He pretty much lives online, and you can connect with him on Twitter or LinkedIn. He also writes a blog for the entry level pros, seasoned veterans, and zombies in the human resources space.
Steve
Geraghty-Harrison
[...] I wrote a post back when I was writing about fitness (in a galaxy far, far away) about how people seemed to be living their lives where the same day kept repeating itself. I’ve since seen that it’s very true in the workplace as well. In this post for Stephen Geraghty of HRwhY?, I ask if you are living all of your workdays the same. [...]
Great article – thanks for the info. I think getting caught in the same routine can definitely lead to unhappiness because you are stuck not having an outlet for your stress. I think another great way to change your routine is to start volunteering as explained in this post: http://www.learn.colostate.edu/blog/entry.dot?id=217231.
Thanks!