5 Ideas: Changing Your Relationship To Accountability Will Change Your Life

We live in a culture where productivity is prized above most other things. As a leadership and career growth coach, I have seen that this type of culture can be damaging. It often promotes unrealistic expectations — which can make many stop in their tracks before progressing towards goals in the first place —?due to the looming fear of failure.?

Decades ago, researchers discovered that humans actually thrive under a balanced set of expectations, something they named Optimal Anxiety Theory. This theory states that being somewhere in between pressure and relaxation, you can find a sweet spot where you’re likely to get the most done to reach your goals.?

If you keep finding yourself failing to reach important goals, it could be helpful to cultivate an environment of optimal anxiety.

To start, change your relationship with accountability. It will make you more proactive in all areas of your life.?Here are a few ways you can do so.?

1) Refresh your routine

If you’re feeling stuck, you might be quite literally stuck in a routine that’s not quite working for you and is inhibiting you from achieving your actual goals. To reassess your routine, start with some reflection on what’s working for you and what’s not. And then, create a plan to stop bad habits. This is harder than it looks; but you can start by finding some better replacement habits and going from there.?

2) Iron out details?

When creating goals, it’s important to make sure they are SMART ones, as in they’re specific, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. If you have everything written down, and a plan in place, it can make it so much easier to stay more accountable and avoid any slip-ups. As you meet with an accountability partner, you can go over weekly or monthly milestones. When you see your progress right in front of you, along with a pattern by your side, you’re more likely to feel good which will only further increase your accountability. We thrive on rewards!?

4) Get an accountability buddy?

Already have a gym buddy, whom you hit the gym with? Get a work buddy, or a friend you can work with to remain on task and get important work done.?

The technique is called, “body doubling,” or the strategy of working in the physical or virtual presence of another person, per the Harvard Business Review. It’s essentially a win-win situation as it decreases feelings of isolation, which are especially rampant right now given our new work-from-home culture, and increases productivity.?

5) Join my weekly Accountability Check-In stream

So many clients have expressed challenges with staying focused on important actions to advance their careers and personal goals. The pandemic triggers distraction and drains our energy in so many ways. As a result, I’ve started a weekly Accountability Check-in mechanism to provide accountability and support to those who are feeling stalled or slow in their efforts.

Sign up here: Stacey Staaterman's weekly Accountability Check-in

Here’s how it works: each Friday, you’ll receive an email with three short questions:?

• What did you do this week?
• What are you going to do next week?
• What else do you want me to know??

All your answers are read by me personally.??

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Stacey Staaterman is a leadership and career growth coach supporting individuals and organizations with roots in media, communications, advertising, and entertainment. She is a contributor to FORBES and has been seen in Fortune, Men's Health, Bustle.com, and The Wall Street Journal. [email protected] (917) 903 8727