![]() Public speaking is something that most of us dread. I found that comfort zones were funny things – the things that you feared became things that were at home in the comfort zone. If you were the victim, I mean, student, you would then walk to the front of the class, look at your topic, and give a three-minute speech.Īnd then a funny thing started happening as I got out of my comfortable zone three days a week. ![]() She would stroll the aisles and stop next to a student, who would pick a piece of paper. She would write topics on little scraps of paper and put the scraps in a hat. The teacher had this favorite exercise that I loathed. I always tossed and turned the night before speech class. You may find you like this so much, you’ll make a point of doing it every day. Even if you only take a one hour shut down, the peace you gain is worth the disconnect. For another improvement to your mental health, take time out from news, noise and electronics by unplugging. Physical exercise can be a boost to your mental health. Sometimes that leap from the comfort zone is a big one – take the first step by making an appointment with your physician and seeking advice. To get out of your comfort zone, you may make a physical change such as embarking on a fitness program and diet plan (with the guidance of a physician). Forget about being uncomfortable and make contact. Don’t think you have any applicable skills? You may be surprised. I’d make a guess that every nonprofit organization wishes it had more volunteers, and everyone has an email address. You could visit someone at a nursing home or walk dogs at an animal shelter. You can also spend some of your free time volunteering, even if it’s only in a small way. This should not be a secret – it feels really good to do something for another person. Try to do one nice thing for someone every day. I felt good about doing that and hoped they enjoyed the praise. It was just a couple of lines, and I didn’t sign it. I wrote them a little note, just saying that it was nice to see the house being transformed. I learned their names and got one of those blank greeting cards. A couple of times I saw a young couple working in the yard, where they’d added flower beds and a new walkway to the door. In my neighborhood, I couldn’t help but notice the changes being made to a formerly forlorn looking, plain house. Try an unfamiliar spot for a weekend getaway or vacation. Ride a horse, build a model plane or car, take a class at a local college. Learning to play a musical instrument is a great option for a new experience, but there are lots more. It was awesome to reconnect with that side of me. Then one day I saw that a local art center was offering lessons. Of course, I hadn’t played it for about 35 years. I have this very precious Fender folk guitar that came along with me each time I moved. Start small with easy tasks, and add more challenges to the employees as you begin to feel comfortable with their skills. ![]() ![]() In other words, keep a close eye on things that first time, as you are outside of your comfort zone. So, before you totally let go of the reins, delegate the work as you mentor that employee. As a manager or team leader, you may find that delegating work is something that has the “fear factor” attached to it. The reward may be twofold – TWO people getting out of their comfort zone! The employee also steps up and gets to try something new. You’ll never know if employees can handle a new task unless you let them try. Why you can’t assign some of your work to an employee, right? Wouldn’t it be better to do it yourself? What if the employee doesn’t do it right? What if it causes a problem?
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