Navigating Change: 5 Ways to Create Essential Space

During the initial stages of the pandemic, when everyone had to adapt to dramatically altered routines for work and daily life, one unexpected positive outcome emerged: our shared acceptance of imperfection grew significantly. People everywhere were experimenting with innovative approaches, overhaul

During the initial stages of the pandemic, when everyone had to adapt to dramatically altered routines for work and daily life, one unexpected positive outcome emerged: our shared acceptance of imperfection grew significantly. People everywhere were experimenting with innovative approaches, overhauling their business strategies and operations, grappling with novel technologies, and adjusting to entirely fresh methods of collaboration. This environment granted us the liberty to experiment without the pressure of perfection, allowing us to learn through trial and error in real time.

But I can't help wondering if that same level of leniency persists today.

Are our frequent expressions of eagerness to 'return to normal' potentially setting up unrealistic hopes that we'll effortlessly slip back into our old rhythms without any friction?

The Reality of Change: It's Always Disruptive

In truth, every form of change carries an inherent element of discomfort and disruption.

At times, this disruption feels invigorating, much like a brisk breeze that clears out stagnant air and brings freshness. On other occasions, it can catch us completely off guard, throwing our equilibrium into disarray.

The most effective strategy we can adopt is to intentionally allocate space for ourselves—whether that's dedicated time, mental bandwidth, or emotional reserves—to maneuver through these transitions smoothly. Below, you'll find five actionable strategies to intentionally cultivate that vital space:

1. Embrace Margin (Also Known as Uns scheduled Time in Your Calendar)

It's impossible to anticipate every twist and turn, especially amid high levels of uncertainty. Adjusting to fresh protocols or commuting patterns, onboarding to new projects or teams, or adapting to the nuances of hybrid meetings can all demand more time than initially forecasted. It's crucial to fight the temptation to cram your schedule so full that there's zero flexibility for adjustments or surprises.

Far from being wasted or idle time, these open slots in your agenda serve as essential breathing room, providing the buffer needed to respond to life's unpredictabilities without constant stress.

2. Identify Your Lizard Brain Reactions

This instinctive response often manifests in procrastination behaviors or triggers the primal fight-or-flight mechanism, which instinctively views all change as a potential danger. That ancient part of our brain operates swiftly, driven purely by emotion and deeply ingrained wiring. While we can't always stop it from activating, recognizing its presence and labeling it explicitly allows us to regain control and prevent it from dominating our actions.

Make it a habit to detect when your lizard brain is in play, and employ the simple H.A.L.T. framework: avoid making any significant decisions when you're Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired. This pause can be a game-changer in maintaining clarity during turbulent times.

3. Prioritize Recovery Time

After intense episodes—be they traumatic, highly stressful, or even exhilarating and positive—many people experience a lingering 'hangover' effect that can feel baffling. You might wonder, 'Nothing major is happening now, so why do I feel so drained?' because the aftermath sneaks up unexpectedly.

Just recently, I performed my first in-person event complete with proper footwear since the pandemic began. It was a live broadcast from a studio in Manchester, requiring me to be away from home and fully engaged for nearly 24 hours, minus about eight hours of rest in my hotel. The event proved to be a thrilling highlight, offering the audience a deeper, more engaging alternative to standard webinars. For me, however, it demanded complete immersion, and I recognize I couldn't sustain that pace multiple times weekly.

As we reintegrate face-to-face interactions, resume travel, reconnect socially, and perhaps even share physical embraces, these shifts—whether they spark pure joy, anxiety, or a complex blend of emotions—can leave us emotionally depleted. It's vital to respect this toll by building in recovery periods, steering clear of the push toward exhaustion and burnout.

4. Conduct Regular Reviews

Perfection on the first try is unrealistic, and moreover, the target itself may not be a fixed point at all. Crafting how we live and work in this evolving 'new normal' is an ongoing process of discovery and adaptation. It's akin to forging a path as you travel it, which naturally involves continuous adjustments, evaluations, tweaks, overhauls, and fine-tuning.

By embedding routine reviews into your routine, you sidestep the traps of perfectionism-induced stagnation or self-criticism over past choices. Instead, you advance steadily, one informed decision and lesson at a time, fostering genuine momentum.

5. Implement Wellbeing Check-Ins

This practice is a cornerstone for our team, where every Tuesday kicks off with a 'Truth Tuesday' discussion thread on our internal communication platform. Team members are invited to contribute anything from a simple emoji to detailed updates on their emotional state or current challenges.

Over time, and especially through the lockdown period, this ritual has fortified our interpersonal bonds while bolstering personal wellbeing. Gaining insight into why a colleague might seem extra sensitive, fatigued, scattered, or error-prone shifts our response from irritation to empathy. It enables us to offer meaningful support, collaborate more effectively, and maintain productivity. Additionally, receiving encouragement from a peer to ease up on yourself often resonates more deeply than self-advice ever could.

Reflect on this: How much room do you currently allow yourself to handle transitions? Among these approaches, which one resonates most strongly with your needs right now?

I'd love to hear about your experiences and progress with these ideas.