Make work sustainable in 2022

Sustainable behaviors are the name of the game in today's workplace.?I define these behaviors as ones that help keep our energy levels up and going for the long term.?

Sustainable behaviors help keep our energy levels up and going for the long term.

With a large portion of the workforce reporting burnout, it’s no secret that we need to reinvent our relationship with work.?In this issue, I'll share?practical changes that make work more sustainable for all of us.?

One great thing about extended?breaks, especially one timed around the new year, is the space to make for new habits and mindsets at work.?Changing your relationship with work is also a super timely matter now that we're two years into the pandemic.?

Let this year be a little different?than prior ones.?The start of the year can revitalize intent but you have to guard against?letting that window slip away.?

The start of the year can revitalize intent to change. Guard against?letting that window slip away.

A sad but true reality is when this window closes quickly, before any real change can take hold.?

Crisp and palpable motivation can fade quickly once old patterns?are triggered in the workplace environment. Sometimes this can over?take your openness for change in a matter of days.?

Don't let that happen.??

One technique to guard against this trap: earmark mid-February as the first measurement point.?In other words, set expectations that give time to stand up your new practices.?

Start acting today.?But don't worry about fits and starts.?

Don't worry about fits and starts when trying to form new habits.

Below are three ideas when it comes to making work sustainable for you.?

Rather than waiting for your employer or workplace to change things, try to empower yourself through ideas like these.

Three Ways to Make Work Sustainable

1) Bring your voice - Just because you're speaking in a meeting?doesn't mean your voice is coming through.?Voice comes from something deeper inside.?Perhaps something you've thought about in advance or have a real intuition about. It could be a feeling or some reasoning, often a combination of the two.?You have a question or point to make coming from inside.?Voice is present when there's no burden of doubt?or second guessing in your head.?Perhaps easier said than done.?But certainly?worth practicing.?What do you really have to lose??The upside is both better connection for the audience to what you're saying, and more freedom and release for yourself.?

2) Bring your personality - If voice is about the substance of what you're saying, personality is everything else.?It could be how you bring up matters, how you interact interpersonally, or how you show up literally (not just words but dress and appearance).?

I do love this recent LinkedIn commercial which?dispels the myth of convention when it comes to what a professional looks like.??

One personal example.?I don't like socks. So on most days, I don't wear them.?When you're in the C Suite of a global company that kind of sticks out even though it's really not a concern for anyone other than my feet.?

I also carry a water bottle from meeting room to room (like I'm on a serious?hike), and write on a tiny moleskine with tiny handwriting.?

If we still had offices, you'd be more likely to find a Theragun on display, rather than a deal toy or some type of corporate memento.??

You may ask, how do my voice and personality make work more sustainable??

Being yourself is more sustainable because it means less compromise.?

If we still had offices, you'd be more likely to find a Theragun on display, rather than some type of corporate memento.

It's a pity to have to "wear a uniform" at work when you don't have to.?It drains energy, which is what we?seek to avoid.

3) Reset each day - Most work or tasks on your plate last days if not weeks.?So it may be odd to suggest one should "never start a day where you left off".?But if you pick up where you left off, the days start to bleed into each other.?And that's one of the major drivers of the burnout we've seen in the pandemic.?Continuity of work in our consciousness is a recipe for disaster.?

To reset daily, try the 3 step reflection ritual below

What is an alternative??Each day deserves a start with its own reflection ritual, like the three steps below:

• What is there to be grateful for?? When we bring these into focus, it makes us feel content rather than starting our day feeling behind.
• What reminders of assurance can we give ourselves that?we can handle whatever the day has in store??We have handled days like today many times before and we will do it again.?
• What are the very few?must-haves??How can we accept that some things to-do can be spaced out??Let’s not drain our energies with an endless mental task list before our days have actually started.?If you’re an ambitious person it’s likely all of your timelines are a stretch anyway.?

Create space for gratitude, reminders and doing something you feel like doing each day.?It doesn’t take much time.?Perhaps just 30 minutes at the start of each day.?Here are two amazing apps that can help with you that: Sorce and Timeout2Thrive . Break up the continuity of your obligations.?

Tone from the top?

I hope these simple tips for self empowerment are helpful.?They will work better when the broader culture of an organization is also working toward sustainable practices.?So if you're a leader this is a perfect time to set the tone from the top.

Here's a quick example.?Rather than demanding more from people as you provide an outlook for the year ahead, do something different.??

This is not the era to say "last year was great and we’re going to need even more from you in the year ahead given the challenges we face."?

Believe it or not, that is the takeaway for many employees from standard leadership communications entering the new year.?It's obviously not very motivating, especially when some people are already looking at the exit door.?People don't want to be extracted for more.

We need a new kind of motivation for the era we're now in.?It would be much better to say: "Last year was a great year and if we can bring the same kind of energy to the challenges we face in the year ahead, it will be a great one."?

It's the same idea about setting expectations on new challenges but has a different energy for the audience.?Leaders should be mindful.

If you've got a tip on how to make the workplace more sustainable, please feel free to comment below.

Any other Business (AOB)

Many readers have noticed a gap in Re:wire issues.?Good news..you can expect me back on a regular publication schedule.?

Q4 happened to be busy with (2) new Board of Director roles, landing a deal with a major publisher for my new book and efforts for a new company I’m getting off the ground.?

Drop me a line if you’re curious about any of those.?