As light and warmth returns through spring we can feel an energy to shake things up. In response, we often spring clean our homes and wardrobes – dusting things off, letting things go.
We think less often about giving how we work a spring clean, often because we’re so busy getting through our to-do list to think about it. When we’re head down getting stuff done, always planning ahead – it can be hard to pause, reflect and adjust. But as a result, over the years, we can get stuck in work patterns that don’t serve us, our job or changed context – leaving us frayed and frazzled.
Taking the time to check in, and make some changes to how we work, can leave us feeling better in the moment and for months to come as we benefit from ways of working that work much better for us.
In support of this, this reflection exercise invites you to have a spring clean of how you’re working. You’ll:
- Check in on how you’re working
- Clarify what ways of working are supporting you
- Identify what could be better and what changes you’d like to make
To start:
- Take a moment to decide how you’d like to approach this exercise, there are some questions for you to reflect on – would you like to write, say or type your responses?
- If it feels welcome, place your hand on your heart and close your eyes – take some time to notice what’s feeling light and heavy in your body today
- As you check in more, do you need anything to feel more comfortable? A drink, loo break, some food or a bit of movement, perhaps?
Check in on how you’re doing
- What 3 words best describe how you’re feeling at work at the moment?
- What’s changing in your project/s at the moment?
- Out of 10 – how much energy do you have? And how long have you had this much energy?
- What are you getting back from work that leaves you energised or inspired?
- And in what areas are you giving a lot at work?
What’s working well
- What ways of working – things you do each day or week – are supporting you to feel well?
- What gives you energy day to day?
- What restores your energy day to day?
- What helps you have a great day?
- What helps you have a great week?
What needs to shift
- What about work days leaves you stressed?
- What do you wish could change about your work days?
- In what ways does work go against what you naturally need?
- Where would you like more support with what you do?
- What have you had enough that definitely needs to change?
Inviting in the new
- What things would help you feel more energised each work day?
- What would help you feel more at ease at the end of the day?
- What would you love to carve out more time for?
- What’s a “must have more of”, from your perspective?
Small shifts
- Reflecting on what’s come up so far, what small shifts would you like to make in how you work?
- What would one change would you definitely like to give a go?
- What or who could support you with making this change happen?
- Viewing change as an experiment can help us make new things happen with more ease, what could approaching your change as an experiment look like?
Next steps and further support
- What will you take from this reflection?
- What stands out to you as you finish up?
- Checking in with your body again – perhaps a hand on heart again – what do you notice now?
It often helps to share your reflections, to let them settle and feel supported. You might like to consider chatting with a work colleague or friend about what you’ve reflected on.
If you’d like some more support to change how you work successfully, try this month of free support to help you change one work habit.
