How to Get Comfortable With Being Uncomfortable
In 2020, it might be time to shake things up at work. Most of us are creatures of habit, taking the same routes to the office, working on the same tasks, coming home to the same routines. But the New Year can empower us to think outside our comfort zones to a more uncomfortable and possibly more lucrative and exciting space. Here’s how you can break out of your old rut in 2020 and use this initiative to take on new roles, ask your boss for a raise, and more.
Stepping Outside Your Comfort Zone
Shifting habits that have grown comfortable is hard sometimes. But it’s also a necessary part of growing as a human being. At work, it’s sometimes easier to take the path of least resistance, possibly disengaging, and just doing the job. This is a comfortable place for many of us, but the start of 2020 gives us a chance to consider whether this approach benefits us. Is staying comfortable making you happy and helping you reach your full potential?
Getting yourself uncomfortable may feel scary as an idea. But we’ve found that a change of venue is an excellent way to hit your restart button. While quitting your job is one way to change venues, you can start by simply using all of the vacation time your employer gave you. Many of us do not, but a vacation gives you perspective from the time away that can be precisely like rebooting your computer. You’ll come back refreshed with a clearer head that might allow you to reassess your comfort levels at work and maybe make some changes. You might realize:
- You’ve taken on too much at work. Delegation is a necessary task to help workers avoid burnout. But having a heavy workload may be a comfortable routine that you’ve grown accustomed to having. The question to consider when you come back from your restart is whether this overwork is making you happy.
- If you’ve taken on too much, is it time to ask your boss for a raise? If you want to get uncomfortable, asking for more money is an excellent way to get there fast. But stepping away and coming back to work may make you realize that you deserve an increase in pay because of your experience or the amount of work you handle. If your career and salary haven’t advanced in awhile, it’s probably past time to become more comfortable with the uncomfortable and ask for a raise.
- Explore your career options. Many people are hardwired to avoid risk. Exploring other career options could be as simple as applying for a new role in leadership at your current company. But it could also encompass sitting down with your manager to roadmap areas to improve. Even scarier, what about exploring other career options in the marketplace? There has never been a better time to leverage the power of the labor shortage to get what you want in your career finally. This could be the right time to ask for a raise, a promotion, or explore other career options.
Looking to Find a New Job?
All of these steps can feel uncomfortable at first. But they’re all necessary to moving you toward new opportunities if your current career path seems a bit stale. Talk to The Custom Group team, step outside your comfort zone, and explore your options in the New Year.
