With industries growing at lightning fast pace and markets changing rapidly, professionals have to be on their toes at all times.
The amount of work due outnumbers the amount of work done. In these situations, our survival instincts tell us to adopt the traditional way to meet deadlines.
You are more likely to survive, let alone succeed, if you put yourself in danger rather than taking the safe way out. Coming out of your comfort zone is the latest challenge of the corporate world.
Try these nine ways to get out of your comfort zone:
1. Get comfortable with discomfort:
It is normal to be uncomfortable with non-routine situations. Instead of looking to eliminate your nervousness try to channel your emotions in getting the optimal performance. For instance if you have to give an impromptu about a new product within ten minutes you should redirect your impulse into processing yourself faster to get ready rather than succumbing to woes of nervousness.
2. Train your brain to deal with pressure:
The likelihood of successfully dealing with a stressful situation can be increased if you teach your brain to deal with pressure more frequently. Playing competitive games like the chess or scrabble will increase your brain’s power to deal with pressure.
3. Focus on the small tasks:
Instead of giving all your attention to the end goals focus on the simple tasks. When we look at a problem as a whole it seems intimidating but concentrating on the small parts makes it seem “doable”. Hence break the whole problem into simple tasks.
4. Diversify your comfort zone:
Doing things you have never done before will enhance your ability to cope with unusual changes. Try out food you have never tried before or visit places you have never been to. Doing things you are not habituated with is a great way to get rid of your fear of the unknown.
5. Give your computer a rest:
Make your brain do some work instead of opting for the internet every time in solving your problems. Read more books and newspapers. This will empower your brain to work independently.
6. Reserve some “me-time”:
Assign a certain part of your day just for yourself. Do not lend your attention to anything other than yourself during that time. Turn off your phones, email or any sort of outside noise.
7. Listen carefully:
When talking to your colleagues, senior managers or team members during a meeting give them your ear. You do not want your cellphone or laptop to prevent you from being part of important discussions. The better you listen, the more you retain.
8. Go deeper into matters:
If you have to examine a report read it thoroughly instead of glancing over the bullet points or the summary. Cutting things off in the middle assuming you have got it all will give you a vague understanding of the subject matter. Developing deep insights about anything will boost your power to solve the problem or identify the cause of the problem.
9. Be positive with negative:
Embrace your opposition by engaging with people who have perspectives completely different from yours. Discuss problems with them to challenge your intellectual faculties. Look at things from a multidimensional point of view.
