“If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude.”
Maya Angelou
I’m sure I’m not alone in being in a state of shock by the sudden arrival of Covid-19 back in March. After a few weeks when the initial paralysis had passed, I learned some useful things. When talking to friends I’ve described the experience of the last four months as, “like going on a retreat”. Why is change so difficult? I find it hard to instigate change without going through pain or discomfort first. Although there are a lot of negatives to the Covid-19 crisis, there have been some positives for me. I hope you have found the same.
Read this article: Why You Should Ignore all that Coronavirus Inspired Productivity Pressure.
What Did I Learn?
As I’ve said in a previous blog, I have confirmed that I am a workaholic. As a freelancer my work dried up from the start. From this strange time I have realised that when I stop it gives my subconscious mind space to be creative. I am so pleased to have learned that my one setting, ‘busy’, is not the only way. We all have a choice lead by our actions.
Four months on, I am still not very good at stopping. When give myself some space it reminds me that I need to find more time to be creative or to do nothing.
Read my blog: The Six Habits of a Recovering Work-a-Holic.
What did you learn? Have you identified anything that you want to carry forward and keep doing in the future?
Making Changes Stick
It seems like a good time to make changes that stick. As we all accept that it’s unlikely that we’ll be going back to whatever it was that we viewed as ‘normal’. Unfortunately, change isn’t easy. The easiest thing would be to slip back into your old comfortable habits.
So, I’ve been wondering how to carry some of the things that I’ve learned over the past few months into the future. These are some of things I’ve been doing.
If you feel like you want to make some big or small changes try out the following five step process. Drop me an email and let me know how you get on.
1. Identify what you have learned during the Covid-19 pandemic (or another big life event). Journaling works well – use the question: What don’t I want to go back to? Read this great article to find out how to do 10 minute focused journaling sessions.
2. Identify 1 or 2 changes that have made a positive difference to your life.
3. Write down your current timetable or if you don’t have a set timetable think about how your week works.
4. Thinking of the things you identified in Step 2. Work out what activity you can do regularly (daily, weekly or monthly) and plan them into diary. The theory is that the new actions will become new habits.
5. Work out what it is that motivates you to do things? Do you need a deadline? Are you more likely to do something if you tell someone else about it? Can you give yourself a target? Who could you tell?
I hope you find something practical and helpful which works for you amongst the tips above. Drop me an email and let me know how you get on.
GOOD LUCK, TAKE CARE AND STAY SANE.
If any of my blog has made you smile, think or make a change please feel free to share.
I’ll be posting more tips and inspiration for artists and creative companies on Instagram and in my Creative Spark e-news.
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