Change Challenge
When I talk with people about change and innovation, the recurring bugbear for many is the statement: we’ve always done it this way.
When we are innately curious, open to change and always learning, it’s easy to assume that we won’t find ourselves stuck in the status quo.
One of the games I like to play to challenge myself in this regard is when I’m doing everyday things such as exercising, cooking, brushing my teeth, household chores, or anything else. I take time to consider how I tackle this task, how I feel while doing it, how I might do it differently, or make improvements. This helps me to reflect on whether there are parts of life where “I’ve always done it this way” and by considering what lessons I can take into other parts of work and life, I’m reinforcing an innovative and growth mindset.
The paradox is that by applying this mindset to everyday tasks, I get to see how there are some things that benefit from being done in the tried and tested way. These things are nuanced and we need to apply our judgement to where we’re changing and innovating. We definitely don’t need to change every little thing in our workplaces.
For the things we do need to change in our workplaces, flexing our change muscles at home is a great way to practice.
I’m curious, do you ever innovate with your everyday tasks?