Happy Friday!
This week I had the privilege of speaking in Ottawa as part of the Association of Public Sector Information Professionals (DPI) Professional Development Week.
I have to say they were an AWESOME group… engaged, present, and ready to play full out. And considering it was a beautiful sunny day, the fact they chose to stay indoors, and to learn and grow, tells me how dedicated they truly are to their work.
It’s important to be dedicated to the work you do.
It’s important to be engaged in the work you do.
It’s important to care about the work you do.
(Although a scary stat ~ according to a Gallop study conducted last year, only 32% of the U.S. workforce were actively engaged in their work. EEK!)
That being said, it’s also important not to be too dedicated or care too care much about the work you do, that it ends up being ALL you do!
When was the last time, you had time, for a fun activity outside of work and personal obligations?
Well, it may just be about time!
It may be time to cheat on your work.
Now don’t get me wrong. I’m not encouraging you to cheat while on the job, get extra friendly with your co-workers, or look for something new. I’m merely suggesting it may be time you got something going on outside of work.
Here are some ideas to do just that.
1. Reconnect, or connect, with your hobbies
Do you like to knit? Ever had a card, coin, or comic collection? Perhaps you get a kick out of bridge?
Perhaps it’s time to dig out those knitting needles, dust off those old comic books, or plan an afternoon for tea and bridge! Or maybe you want to create a whole new hobby…
When you’re making sure you make time for some of your personal interests outside of work, chances are you’ll be more engaged when you’re at work.
2. Learn a New Sport or Activity
For the past few years, I’ve committed to learning a new sport every Summer. I’ve tried ultimate frisbee, golf, rowing… This year, I’m going to tri (spelled that way on purpose!) my hand at triathlons (pardon the pun!) and signed up for a newbie training skills day on Sunday. Wish me luck!
When we learn something new, we put ourselves out there, allow ourselves to get in that beginner mindset, and challenge ourselves mentally, physically, or both. And according to studies it also helps keep us young!
Perhaps you’ve always wanted to learn how to play guitar, how to speak Italian, or how to ride a unicycle. Maybe now is the time to make it happen!
3. Volunteer
Volunteering can appear in many different ways. Maybe it means volunteering for the community bake sale, serving food at a soup kitchen, or sitting on a board. Maybe it means spending an afternoon picking up garbage at your local park, being there for a friend who needs you, or offering to mow your neighbour’s lawn.
Whether you are sharing your time or your talents or a listening ear, when you give something of yourself to someone else, everybody wins.
There you have it. Three easy ideas to start cheating on your work!
Now be careful here, and don’t jump too far in too quickly! Start with something small, before committing to five new evening events on your schedule!
The point here is not to add more stress to your life, it’s to add more fun and greater fulfilment! And when you do take on one of these ideas above, chances are you’ll be more engaged in ALL areas of your life.
So spend some time brainstorming what you may like to take on this weekend. It could be as simple as planning a night out bowling! And then GET IT ON YOUR CALENDAR!
Let me know what you choose to take on, and how it goes! Leave me a comment below.
Not sure where to start? Perhaps it’s been so long since you’ve thought about your hobbies you’ve forgotten what they are? I’m happy to gift you my ‘Spark Your G.E.N.I.U.S.’ workbook ~ it will be sure to get the wheels turning! Message me HERE.
Have a FAB week!
