Break Out of the "Usual Discomfort": Embracing Change in Cycles, Routines, and Processes

Cycles are all around us. They start, they end, they repeat, and they can be difficult to change as they often lack a clear goal. These cycles affect our lives and environment, just like the moon rising the tide or the seasons changing throughout the year. Animals follow these cycles instinctively, while humans have been monitoring and recording them since the Stone Age.

Some cycles are short, such as the daily routine of waking up, getting ready, going to work, going home, and sleeping. These routines can free our minds from making daily decisions, but they can also trap us in a comfort zone or what I call "usual discomfort." We become so accustomed to our routines that we may not even notice the discomfort they cause, such as when a refrigerator door opens the wrong way.

However, as we learn and gain experience, we can begin to look at our cycles and routines from new perspectives and identify areas for change. One way to do this is to view our job or everyday routines as processes. Processes, like most routines, have a start (timed or event-triggered), a doing phase, and an end (goal). If you want to try new things, one of the easiest ways to do this is to change the start and finish times of your routines.

For instance, shifting your workday start time by an hour can help you avoid rush hour traffic and save you time each day. Another approach is to consider your "peak productivity times." Dr. Andrew Huberman suggests that these periods are 30 minutes after waking up, three hours after waking up, and 11 hours after waking up. These times are ideal for tackling difficult tasks or eating a frog (doing the most important thing first). By capitalizing on your internal peaks, you can optimize the "doing" phase of your routines.

As we approach the end of the year, we often find ourselves in a rush to meet extended family and finish projects at work. This reminds me of a story my father told me about his experience with annual inventory at his company. He used to spend the last few days before New Year's Eve at work, working long hours with his team to complete the inventory process. This meant he was unable to spend much time with his family during the holidays. Therefore, he decided to challenge the company's practice of conducting annual inventory at the end of the year. After much discussion, he successfully persuaded the company to move the inventory to November 1st, allowing him to spend more time with his family during the holidays.

While we may be more open to trying new things in our personal lives, we tend to be more resistant to change at work. However, even workplace routines can be challenged and improved. This requires a culture of knowledge sharing within the company. Companies that foster a culture of knowledge sharing tend to have more mature processes. This is likely due to the fact that employees are more likely to suggest process improvements when they feel comfortable sharing their ideas and experiences. Willingly giving up this internal wisdom and experience leads to more mature processes.

So, this Christmas, let's strive to make positive changes in our routines and embrace new possibilities. We can start by taking advantage of our peak productivity times, challenging the status quo, and sharing our knowledge with others. By doing so, we can break out of the "usual discomfort" (comfort zone) and create a more fulfilling and productive life.

I hope this helps!