Spring Cleaning – out with the bad habits in with the new
Spring is nearly here and with it comes spring cleaning. Out with the old and in with the new. Time to get rid of the stuff that doesn’t work anymore and replace it with shiny new stuff that does work. We’re talking, of course, about good habits and bad habits. And how a few small changes could make a difference.
Bad Habit: Looking Backwards with Bad Feelings. Good Habit: Learning From our Mistakes.
We all do it; we look back and start to feel regret, we blame others and we fail to see the lesson. We can’t change the past, but we can make a commitment to learn and move on. It’s okay to look back – in fact its healthy. But make sure you’re in the right frame of mind. Make a habit of seeing your past missteps as the lesson that made you the strong leader you are today. And most of all, remember that you can’t change the past, but you can make sure you don’t repeat those errors.
Bad Habit: Mindlessly Consuming Information. Good Habit: Giving your Brain a Rest.
How often do you find yourself down a rabbit hole on the internet, looking at videos or reading stories that have nothing to do with the topic you started out researching? We’ve all done it. It’s easy to get distracted as we see messages in so many forms all day long. It might be time to examine your screen habits and kick your passive social media habit. Practice mindfulness as you use the internet and look for ways to learn something new like subscribing to an online business publication or joining an online networking group. You won’t regret it. You don’t have to get off all social media forever but rather choose what you spend time on and what messages you’re going to let in.
Bad Habit: Being a Know-it-All. Good Habit: Learning Something!
As we continue to be deluged with information, not knowing about something seems like a dangerous position. But take a step back. You don’t have to know everything about everything. What if you admitted you didn’t know, and you learned something? As a leader in the information age it might feel like you do have to know it all but turn off that impulse. And when you don’t know something use that as an opportunity to ask and learn. Besides, no one likes a know-it-all anyway.
Bad Habit: Looking Down. Good Habit: Finding the Good
Do you know someone who is insanely positive all the time? Do you wonder how they do it? Especially when the situation seems hopeless? Likely these positive people work at it. It is an active choice to continually see the good. Make that a habit and see the seismic shift in your life. Sometimes a road block isn’t the end but rather a challenge to rethink your strategy and seize the opportunity of another path and direction. For some it is easy, maybe even instinctual to criticize and find the bad, but if you can look beyond that you’ll have a better chance of having a positive outcome. Be brave enough to see the good in any situation and you will win.
Bad Habit: Talking Trash. Good Habit: Thinking First.
You may not realize how much of what you say can influence your co-workers and your team. Think about how you speak and the words you use – especially in a tense situation – and make a conscious effort to reframe your communication. Your team is constantly looking to you to gauge your reaction and they need those positive messages. True, not every situation will make you sing with joy but crafting your language to point up instead of down can mean a big difference to those around. You.
These are all small changes, and will they will take time to master. Even swapping one of these good habits for a bad old habit that no longer serves you can have a lasting impact on your overall outlook as well as the attitude of those around you. Bookmark this page and check back in six weeks or six months – we’re willing to bet you’ll see a change.
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