We’ve all heard people talking about their best ideas coming to them when they are in the bath or shower! What’s that all about? Well, it tends to be a time when we allow ourselves to stop and think.
Now more than ever we are leading busy lives, both in and outside work. Society encourages us to continually strive and to drive things forward. It’s all about being action orientated. Yet research has shown that taking time for self-reflection is good for you and boosts performance.
It can be difficult to know how to get started. Some people may feel nervous about identifying things that they are not so good at. And not having the answer to everything may seem counter intuitive when it is the default at work and at home.
So for anyone who wants to get started, this article has some useful pointers. Harvard Business Review :
1. Start by identifying a few important questions. What are your challenges? How are you helping your colleagues to be more successful? On a scale of 1-10 how strong are your key business relationships? How well do you know their wishes, wants and needs?
2. Then select a reflection process that works for you. You might prefer to think whilst moving or you may want to sit and reflect. Do you want to write down your thoughts? Do you prefer to talk these through with a colleague or partner?
3. Create time to allow reflection. Schedule time in your diary. Don’t try to eat the elephant! Try 10 minutes and build up from there. Don’t over think it. There’s no right or wrong way to approach it. It’s what works best for you. You are just giving yourself time to think and examine your thinking.
4. Seek out a mentor who can help you with the process. You don’t have to do it alone. If you have a mentor, you can build this into your sessions.
At William Murray, we have a mentoring programme across the business to encourage self-reflection and personal development. If you’d like to know more about working at William Murray contact enquiries@williammurray.co.uk
