People sometimes tell me that they really want to complete a Jossed board but they’re just too busy with work. I tell them to include work in their board
Have you done anything for your job recently that’s out of the ordinary? Maybe you’ve given a presentation, done some training or joined your colleagues for an al fresco lunch? If it’s something new that stretches you, count it towards your board.
At the moment I’m studying for a Diploma but I’m also taking part in the Media Trust’s Digital Spring School and working towards becoming certified for Google Ads.
It’s quite a lot to be doing but they overlap a fair bit, so one thing helps me to understand the others better, and I’m able to prioritise which one I’m focusing on at any one time.
I felt that I was doing pretty well at my job before but, by delving deeper into things, I’ve realised that there is so much that I don’t know and all sorts of ways that I could be improving.
If I wasn’t doing a board, I don’t think I would be so alive to these different opportunities and I’d probably feel nervous about stepping out of my comfort zone. Jossed gives me the gentle push in the right direction that I need to try something different.
The Open University has loads of free courses and MoneySavingExpert have put together a great guide on funding, if you’d be interested in gaining a qualification.
But are you recognising what you’re already achieving and do you have work goals? There are also lots of mentoring schemes available, especially if you are young and from a disadvantaged background, to help you progress in your career.
If work is already stressful enough, how could you tick off some relaxation boxes? What about leaving your desk at lunch time to sit in the park and eat your lunch? You could try learning some time management or assertiveness techniques - The Stress Management Society’s Stress Test might help to highlight any issues and offer advice. I also use an app called AntiSocial, where I can set a curfew on access to my emails so that I’m not checking on them all evening and weekend.
Is there anyway that you can make work more pleasurable? Could you still concentrate if you played music? What about a dress down Friday? Having a packed lunch that you’d really look forward to eating rather than your usual sandwiches or trying somewhere different during your break could help.
How can you improve your environment? If you’re still working from home, maybe you could move out into the garden if you have one or use the wifi at a cafe? Would some pot plants help? What’s the lighting like? Can you move your workstation closer to a window?
You may not have seen your colleagues in person for some time and a socially-distanced catchup could help you to reconnect. Does your workplace have a sports team? If not, could you set one up? Are there any local networking groups that you could join? Even if you just focus on developing your LinkedIn profile, it can help you to feel that you’re making connections.
If you work at a computer, how could your workstation be affecting you physically? Is it at the right height and distance to prevent neck strain? Have you had your eyes tested? Is your back supported? More generally, are you going to bed and waking up at the optimal times according to your circadian rhythm?
Does your workplace offer volunteer days or could you nominate a charity of the year? Payroll Giving is a tax-efficient way of giving to charities and could be topped up by your employer and the government. How about having a Comic Relief fun day at work?
Contributing doesn’t just have to be about good causes though. Maybe you’d be interested in becoming a Mental Health First Aider to support your colleagues? Even smaller than that, you could say some kind words to someone that you work with.
I know some people who put a lot into their job but feel that they can’t put those things on their board. You probably spend about a third of your life at work and another third asleep though, so it’s putting a lot of pressure on your leisure time to try and tick all of your boxes in such a small window.
It’s all growth and personal development. If you really wanted to, you could complete an entire board just with things that you do at work.
This blog refers to work but it could equally apply to any other demanding role, such as a parent or unpaid carer.
Your to-do list will never be empty but hopefully, by minimising the amount of attention that you pay to achievement and learning (as there are only 4 boxes for each compared to 24 pleasurable, relaxation, social, physical, contribute and environment boxes) you will make time for activities that will improve your wellbeing.
