I admit it. I don’t like change at times. I like the way things are and I’m comfortable in them [to an extent anyway]. But to grow, we need to enter in and embrace the new seasons that come our way. And thus, after working virtual office for the past 8 years, I’ve entered into a new growing season of working 8 to 5 in a corporate office. Thus, impacting my schedule across my hiking, personal, and work life. I think success in any new season starts with attacking the challenges and exploring the opportunities that will be presented to us. And just because things are now different, it doesn’t mean we stop doing things in our hiking, personal, and work life; it just means we need to CHANGE to adjust to them. It’s important to remember that while making these changes, we still align with our core beliefs, values, and guiding principles.
After we moved to Colorado in 2010, I was told that to stay in shape for hiking, you need to have a foundation of hiking 3 times a week getting in a total of 15 miles and 4000 feet elevation gain. This was “easier” to do while working from home without having the driving commute time and having schedule flexibility. But in an 8 to 5 set work schedule, how would I adjust? It started with looking at the opportunities presented in the office I’m now working in; where I found they have shower facilities, are only a few miles from the Manitou Incline and Section 16 trail, and is very close to the Santa Fe trail. So, my adjustment will become hiking at 5:30 am or doing some daily shorter hikes (3 miles) over lunch hour on Santa Fe.
In my personal part of life, it becomes looking at how to make adjustments around the 8 to 5 work schedule and still fit in the family commitments. It’s looking at the opportunities and seeing where to make those changes. In the mornings, I’m now leaving a little earlier so I can take my son to school. And if there are evening events to go to, I’m finding that I’m meeting my family there instead of thinking I need to drive home and then backtrack with them. This new season is making me look at where my time is being spent as well and what is important. I’m finding I’m already watching less TV during the weekdays and “projects” are becoming a lot more prioritized with me starting to say NO to more things.
In work the challenges are all over the place with new: people, processes, cultures, and systems to learn. And it can be hard at times; just like a farmer during the planting season. The ground (my habits) must be broken up so the seed (new work ideas) can be planted. Crops are rotated with different ones being planted in the same ground area each year. This prevents the ground from becoming stagnant because different crops affect the soil in their own way. Just like different ideas keep us fresh. Another key to success in work with a new season is to also get to know the people and asking them to be a mentor for you. There can be things to learn from them in both their work life and related outside professional interest, which you will only find out if you ask questions. Here I found that a co-worker is involved with a local chapter of the Project Management Institute and is going to be a coach to me as I work on my Project Management Profession certification.
Where are you in your current season of life or are you stating to move into a different season? If you are in a current season and starting to get burned out, do you need to make some adjustments by “rotating the crops” or making other changes. If you are moving to a new season, do you know the challenges and opportunities that you will be facing in it? In either scenario, what changes do you need to be making in your hiking, personal, and work life; so, you not only live in the season, but thrive and grow in it as well. Or as Timothy Ferriss says in his book, the 4-Hour Workweek, “Ninety-nine percent of the people in the world are convinced they are incapable of achieving great things, so they aim for the mediocre.” I challenge you (and myself) to become that “one-percent” in the season of life you are living in today.
Al Andersen 