Groundhog Day
Drive by Friday
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Drive by Friday –
GROUNDHOG DAY
Do you ever just feel like it’s Groundhog Day every day, especially when daily routines become highly repetitive and lack variation or excitement. This sensation of monotonous repetition can be attributed to several factors commonly experienced in the workplace. These include:
Repetitive Routines
Work – performing the same tasks at workday after day with little variation. This might include paperwork, identical meetings, monotonous duties.
Home Life – engaging in the same activities after work such as cooking the same meals, watching TV and following the same routines at home.
Lack of New Challenges
Professional Stagnation – feeling that your career is not advancing or going anywhere fast and that you are not learning anything new.
Personal Growth – you are not pursuing hobbies, interests, or personal development activities.
Predictability
Daily Schedule – having a schedule that is predictable to the minute, where each day looks very similar and if not the same to the previous one.
Interactions – interacting with the same people in the same way without new social experiences or conversations.
Emotional Impact
Boredom – a pervasive sense of boredom and lack of excitement.
Disengagement – feeling disengaged or disconnected from work and personal life.
Frustration – growing frustration with the lack of change and novelty.
How do we break this ‘Groundhog Day’ cycle - there are many strategies to assist with breaking the cycle and reintroducing variety and excitement into daily life. By setting new goals, seeking new challenges, and making conscious changes, you can transform a monotonous routine into a more engaging and fulfilling experience.
HOW … Let’s look at BREAKING THE GROUNDHOG DAY cycle. I am sure we have all been there at some stage in our career/life.
Introduce Variety
Work Tasks – seek new projects or responsibilities at work to break the monotony.
Personal Life – try new activities, hobbies or social engagements.
Set New Goals
Short and Long Term – establish both short and long term goals that can provide direction and a sense of achievement. Get someone to hold you accountable for your goals if you are not good at pushing yourself to achieve these.
Continuous Learning
Skill Development – engage in professional development courses or learn new skills that relate to your role and will add to career growth opportunities.
Personal Enrichment – read books, listen to podcasts, take up a new hobby, or learn a new language. There’s plenty of options so think outside the square.
Mindfulness and Reflection
Mindfulness Practices – incorporate mindfulness practices such as meditation, or journaling to reflect on your daily experiences and feelings.
Gratitude Journaling – keep a gratitude journal to focus on positive aspects of each, helping to break the perception of monotony.
Change Your Environment
Workspace – redecorate or reorganise your workspace. Sometimes you might be limited in options to do this but add a picture to your workspace, tidy your desk or refresh the look.
Living Space – make small changes to your home environment to make it feel new and refreshing. Maybe add a plant, paint a wall, change a piece of furniture etc.
TIME TO CHANGE YOUR ‘GROUNDHOG DAY’ MOMENTS
Share your ideas!
Please feel free to contact me
lorraine@simpli-u.com.au