“Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.” – Neale Donald Walsch

Have you ever wanted to do something but decided not to because you were afraid of the unknown? Maybe you were uncomfortable so you decided to stick with what you know. If you have, chances are you will wonder “what if?” or “what could have been?” Many people encounter these feelings in both their personal and professional lives. If you’ve found yourself in a funk of sorts, it might be time to break out of your comfort zone and challenge yourself.

After being in a role for a while, sometimes you start to feel like you’re just going through the motions and get complacent. As a result, your performance struggles which can ultimately lead to feeling unfulfilled at work and falling into a rut. If this happens, you might miss out on new opportunities which lead to future growth. If you have found yourself going through the motions or you’ve fallen into a funk, Melanie Haniph offers some suggestions to break out of your comfort zone at work and find new challenges. After all, research has shown that you can greatly increase your productivity, creativity and adaptability by doing things that give you a healthy amount of anxiety.

Ask For Something New

If you’ve found yourself simply going through the motions at work, you likely aren’t being very challenged with your duties. One of the quickest and easiest ways to get around this is to take on a new responsibility by asking for something new. Like most things, if you don’t ask, you’ll never know.

This does not mean piling on mundane tasks for the sake of making five o’clock come around sooner. Instead, Haniph recommends participating in a new company initiative or training co-workers on a new process as a way to break up your daily routine. This allows you to interact and meet new people in the office and find new ways to be productive.

Address Your Fears

One of the main reasons people avoid stepping out of their comfort zone is fear of the unknown. This fear can dissuade people from taking on new opportunities even though they could be beneficial both personally and professionally. Challenging yourself is never a bad thing.

In recognizing that you have some fears and room for improvement, you are taking the first step towards overcoming them. Maybe you are afraid or uncomfortable and lack confidence speaking in front of a large group. To get over this, you can take a public speaking course to improve your confidence and ability. When you address your fears head on, you take the first step towards overcoming them.

Learn New Technology

Thanks to various advancements in technology we are able to “work smarter, not harder.” Although some people have to work even harder to learn how to use this technology, even though it is intended to make our jobs (and lives) easier. We live in a digital age with technology influencing almost every aspect of our lives. In order to stay on top of things, or even ahead of the game, taking the time to learn new technologies can help you be more efficient.

Get A New Job

If you really want to step out of your comfort zone and “go for it,” then getting a new job is certainly one way to do it. Many people would rather stick with what they know and be unhappy at work instead of challenging themselves and look for a new job. This is another example of staying within a comfort zone. If you are truly unhappy and unsatisfied with your work, it will ultimately influence your personal life as well. People leave jobs for new opportunities all the time. If you feel like this is the change that will reinvigorate you and your career, then…

Wrap Up

Often times we think the grass is greener on the other side, but that may not always be the case. If you are feeling stuck at work, take a step back and follow the aforementioned tips to challenge yourself at work. When you are feeling challenged, you will be more likely to break out of your comfort zone and shed the feelings of being “stuck.” To read Haniph’s full article on TopResume, click here.

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