Working remotely and our ability to adapt to change

5 months ago, I wrote an article about how I had to readapt as a professional trainer due to the lockdown. Being surprised about the positive reactions it triggered, it's time for an update. Meanwhile, remote working has become a big part of our daily lives. The New Normal isn't so new anymore. How did you manage to adapt to this change? Where are you still struggling? And what are your biggest learnings?

"A comfort zone is a beautiful place, but nothing ever grows there"

Let's rewind to March. Most of us were instructed to work from home. In many industries, including learning & development, business was dramatically slowing down and projects were either cancelled or postponed. We had to leave our comfort zone and adapt to this new situation. For some, this kind of disruptive change is easy to accept. Looking at myself, I took it as a challenge to help our clients in a remote way. It implied a lot of additional work and yet, it felt like a nice challenge and brought me in a flow of positive energy. For others whom might like more to stick to how they have been doing things previously, this radical change could lead to stress and block them from changing their habits.

Whether we adapt easily to change or not, is linked to various reasons:

• Previous experiences: maybe you were already used to working remotely. In that case, this 'forced' way of working most likely didn't impact you as much as someone who used to work daily at the office.
• Personality: some of us like working alone, others like a livelier atmosphere. And some of us like to alter between both. No good or wrong, only personal preferences.
• Context & circumstances: I live at the countryside together with my family, which helps me to disconnect by putting on my running shoes and getting out. For some of my colleagues living in big cities with their family in an apartment, it might be thougher to deal with remote working (although I envy them at other moments living in buzzing places like Paris or Amsterdam ;-)

"Life is only as good as your mindset"

As a learning professional, I am convinced we all have the ability to adapt to change and develop ourselves. Altough we might need a slightly different approach and help, it all starts with our own mindset.

Do we see the opportunities in working from home? On a personal level, I haven't spend so much time with my children in ages. Professionally, I did discover that remote trainings can make a great impact and I could get work done that was on my desk since quite some time.

Or do we focus on what we don't like? In my not-so-positive moments, I complain about how much I miss catching up with my colleagues with a good espresso at hand or how much in need I am of being in a face-to-face training room. It's easy to let those negative feelings steal our energy, and getting us in a downward spiral.

I imagine you all heard about growth mindset. If it were so easy, we would all choose for growth instead of being frustrated about things we can't change, right? Nobody chooses deliberately to get into the "panic zone" when change occurs. Take a moment to think about a major change you are confronted with lately. It can be the home working situation, or any other major change in your life. Got it?

Here are some questions to ask yourself:

• What positive outcome do I see for myself when I overcome this situation?
• What has been blocking me until now to take action? How likely is the worst case scenario which might be blocking me, going to happen?
• What is a first (little) step towards my desired outcome I can make right now?
• For which steps along the way could I use some external help? And who/what can help me in getting there?
• How will I feel 6 months from now if I manage successfully this transition?

"A goal should scare you a little, and excite you a lot" (Joe Vitale)

I invite you to reflect on your goal first: what do you want to achieve? And of course, do it in a SMART way.

Some of us are able to handle this change process themselves. Others might benefit from external help. This external help can be a coach, a friend of even a colleague.

Reflecting on my own journey of the past few months, I've also had highs and lows. From fully energized and grateful to frustrated about this work (from home)-sleep-repeat rhythm. I learned that the following helps me to keep on track:

• Defining priorities: planning of activities, integrating both professional and private activities, helps me on keeping focused and getting things done.
• Making clear choices and be in the moment: when I decide to work, I focus on the task at hand. When I decide to take a break, it's ok to choose for myself by reading a book, doing some sports or focus on my kids (it took me some time to apply this).
• Reach out to others: I am blessed with some beautiful people around me. You are probably too. Some of them I consult when I just want to have fun, others as a source of inspiration, others when I need somebody listening or giving me advice. Make use of all resources in your life.
• Take a step back: find some time to reflect on what you are doing and why you are doing it. Some find this in sports, others in mindfulness or spending time with their beloved ones. You can only accelerate if you allow yourself to slow down once in a while.

As I strongly believe in collective intelligence, I would really appreciate your thoughts on how to deal with the changes which are everywhere. What are your best advices? Looking forward reading them in the comments!

Warm regards, Carl 

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