Here on Cape Cod, turning the calendar to September brings with it many mixed emotions.
For the local business owners who rely on the tourist season to make the bulk of their income, this transition into September is cause for boisterous celebration because they made it through another CRAZY Cape Cod Summer Season! Other locals may be celebrating the fact they can get their errands done quicker and they can now take left hand turns without having to wait forever!
On the other hand, many locals will miss the excitement and hub-bub of “the season”. Hours at the local establishments and retailers will be shortened, options may be less and, of course, the days will be shorter and the nights cooler.
Transitions always bring pros and cons, don’t you think?
For example, recently a few of my clients, who have worked their fingers to the bone to establish successful businesses, have begun to transition into new leadership roles within their companies. They have put the correct systems in place with the right people in charge and they now are able to move out of the day-to-day minutia involved in running their businesses. How exciting! They have actually created the type of business they had only dreamed of in the past!
Have you noticed that sometimes it takes our heads longer to adjust to a change? For example, for many of my clients they still THINK they have to “put in the hours” to get all the daily details completed on time. Instead they now have the luxury to pursue new additions to their business, give more of their time to their top charities or give themselves permission to enjoy more time doing things that mean the most to them (e.g., spending time with family). The reality is that they now are approaching their businesses differently, which is a great way to think about a transition.
Here are three simple ways to help move through transitions:
Acknowledge your accomplishments.
One simple way to do this is to take a few minutes to write on a piece of paper (or type into a document), what you have accomplished over a specified period of time (e.g., the last month). As you re-read your achievements, think about what you would say to your best friend, if these were their triumphs. Then earnestly tell yourself these same positive words. You may even want to make this part of your end of the week wrap-up or beginning of the week restart process going forward. I imagine you will be surprised at how much you actually do get done!
Celebrate!
This is something we often forget to do because we are so eager to get something checked off our to-do list and move on the next item. Instead of being in a rush to move on, take a little time to celebrate what you have done. By the way, most people think a celebration has to be something grand and/or expensive. Those types of celebrations are fun; however, a celebration can really be anything YOU want it to be. Some of my clients have celebrated by giving themselves the afternoon off to do whatever they wanted to do, or they have spent 30-minutes on the back deck enjoying their favorite cup of tea and a book they wanted to read, or they purchased a new pair of shoes. The way you celebrate really is all about you! Booking celebration time into your calendar going forward can be a great new habit!
Be patient with yourself.
As we transition into a new role, we often expect so much more of ourselves than is humanly possible. We think we should be able to do everything perfectly the first time. How many USA Olympians do you know who right out of the gate were excellent at their chosen sport the very first time they did it? My guess would be none! As you transition, you may trip and even fall, and during those times, it is very important to be patient with yourself. “What have I learned?” and “What will I do differently going forward?” are two excellent questions you can ask yourself regularly as you learn and grow into a new role.
Transitions push you out of your comfort zone and into a new realm of possibility. They can excite you and scare you all at the same time. When I’m working with a client who feels these conflicting emotions, I have to smile because these are the signs they’re headed down the right path!
- Are You Crazy? - June 21, 2019
- To-Do Lists: Reasons to Love Them - May 10, 2019
- Keep It Simple - April 26, 2019
Self reflection does not seem a strength of many in New England, however these are incredibly wise words and advice from Helen. I particularly like the section on recording your achievements on a monthly basis in order to help both staying focused as well as recognizing accomplishments. If you let co-workers know in some way that this is a disciplined practice, they may pick it up too. I know how important recognition is to me on occasion, I imagine I am not alone.
Thank you for highlighting these key points Len! I love your idea of letting co-workers know how effective your accomplishment reviews have been! If you’re a manager or business owner, sharing this process with your staff can be invaluable. Recognition is one of the things that encourages people to continue to be their best. Often the financial cost is minimal to implement and the results can be outstanding!