“It’s been three weeks since we’ve been back, but it feels like three months. There’s just been so much to do.\” Everyone else nodded or put +1s in the chat. This action learning group was not alone in their sense that January had been pretty \”full on\” so far. And they weren’t unusual in describing a combined sense of excitement and anxiety: the new year was bringing new ideas and opportunities but the pressure was already on and the stakes felt higher than ever.
This has been the overwhelming (and overwhelmed) message of 2024 so far. It’s been my story too – and Step-Change has been one of the casualties, with no new editions until today.
So before we all get carried away, I wanted to invite you to stop and ask:
How are you pacing yourself? Can you keep this up?
What are you taking care of? We talk about keeping all the balls in the air – but only some balls bounce. What are you prepared to drop?
What do you want this year to be like? Will 12 repeats of the last month bring you that?
If not, and you want to make a change, what small step could you take, starting now (or tomorrow), to reset?
When we’re in the midst of overwork and overwhelm we tell ourselves that it will pass, that this is a one-off (because it’s January, or year-end, or a new project, or a particular client…). But I routinely see leaders promising themselves a quieter time that never comes. Sometimes it’s because we simply try to do too much and sometimes that’s a question of mindset, not just external demands. We struggle to operate well out of crisis mode, we fear becoming useless, not valued or getting left behind. As I’ve said before, there’s no magic bullet for this, but the first step to doing something it about it is telling the truth about what’s happening.
Coaching can help you make sustained changes in how you work (and live). By acknowledging what’s happening and identifying the underlying drivers of your behaviour, you can start to take steps to change it. Some of the things we explore include:
🏗️How much of this is about structural things at work that could be addressed, such as staffing, how work is organised, clarity (or not) or performance expectations?
⛏️What kinds of tools might help you? How do you plan and track progress? How do you manage your time and diary? What can you do to build in more space and thinking time without compromising on delivery?
🤔And what about your own habits and patterns of thinking? How do you get in your own way on all this? What fears or hidden commitments might be motivating you to keep picking up your phone over the weekend instead of being really present with your friends or family?
But it’s not all talk. The power of coaching comes in the accountability for change – once you identify the shifts you want to make, we go down that path together, making sense of the setbacks and diversions along the way, keeping going and keeping you true to your goals. Get in touch if you’re interested in finding out more.
As for me, I’m grateful that January was \”full on\” but also thankful that I realised it was a bit too \”full on\”. I’m resetting and recommitting to the kind of year I really want, starting with ‘no devices’ Sunday as a family (it was tough but AMAZING) and getting on with Step-Change 2024.
Welcome back everyone!
Photos by Denis Doyle
