Sometimes it’s not the monumental behavioral shifts that can cause a paradigm leap in the quality of one’s life but the small, incremental changes. We have all heard about the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back and the thorn in the hide of the elephant that ultimately bent him; similar small disruptions can gradually be engineered to improve one’s life by improving general performance and well-being. Here are some tips from the Bayt.com team on small changes that can make a big difference:
Confucius said: “Learning without thought is labor lost. Thought without learning is intellectual death.” Be prepared to be an active lifelong learner if you seek continuous personal and professional growth, success and prosperity. Aim to pick up a book a month at the very least and augment that as and when needed. Find something you are genuinely interested in and try to constantly build up your expertise in that area while at the same time broadening your horizons in other areas too. Interestingly, 77.9% of respondents to a Bayt.com poll indicated they read on a regular basis, while 69.6% indicated they believe reading is vital to career progress.
Focus is a key trait of productive professionals. Online and other distractions are a bane to productivity. According to the Bayt.com ‘Rest and Recreation Habits Among MENA Professionals’ poll, January 2013, 30.7% of polled respondents say that they spend more than five hours a day surfing the internet just for fun. Don’t cheat yourself of a truly optimal day’s work and ultimately a great career by getting caught up in office trivia and distractions. Unless you have social media responsibilities at work, keep the personal calls and social media activities confined to after hours or your break times; and if you are an internet addict, concentrate on surfing the web for matters that are conducive to your job role, not an escape from it.
While 62.2% of poll respondents say that they do receive recognition at work from managers and colleagues, according to the Bayt.com ‘Reward Programs and Employee Engagement in the Middle East’ survey, November 2011, you should make it a habit to reward yourself too. Set yourself milestones and reward yourself diligently when you reach them. Take regular small breaks during the day and regular breaks from work to do something that invigorates you and come back to work refreshed and invigorated with new ideas and fresh perspectives. Find things that really stretch your imagination and improves your wellbeing whether it is traveling or socializing or watching movies or reading a certain type of literature or practicing your artistic talents. A happier, more fulfilled, more balanced you will manifest itself in increased energy and productivity.
No need to join the country’s most exclusive and expensive golf club to exercise those muscles, get that adrenalin flowing and inhale some fresh air and wellbeing. Simply adding a 20 minute a day workout to your routine at least a few times per week, if not daily, is a small step in the right direction that can be achieved by all. Taking the steps instead of the elevator, walking around the block, dancing to your favorite music at home, incorporating some yoga routines in your down-time are all easy enhancements that can make your life less sedentary if you can’t access a gym or park or outdoor exercise facilities. Let your imagination run riot; a bit of exercise will do your brain and mood and body a world of good. After all, if over 80% of polled MENA professionals can squeeze some exercise time into their busy schedules, then so can you! (The Bayt.com ‘MENA Professionals’ Health and Eating Habits’ poll, April 2012).
The Bayt.com ‘MENA Professionals’ Health and Eating Habits’ poll has revealed that 31.7% of professionals in MENA would describe their eating habits as unhealthy. That midmorning and mid afternoon slump are usually simply the result of eating too much, too little or the wrong type of food altogether. Don’t skip breakfast and try to reach for the fresh unprocessed foods rather than sugary and processed alternatives; don’t underestimate the effects that eating healthy can have on your skin as well as on your mood, energy levels, productivity and stamina. Don’t forget to drink plenty of water too; many people are severely dehydrated and unaware of it and often that hunger feeling is really a sign of thirst.
Although it’s basic common sense, learning to live within one’s means is easier said than done for many. Whatever your income level, aim to constrain your spending within that and to put a fraction away for a rainy day. No job is totally secure and in today’s job market it makes a lot of sense not to be reckless with your spending habits as your savings may well be necessary to tide you through between jobs at some point in your career. As per the latest Bayt.com MENA Salary Survey, (May 2013) 36% of polled MENA professionals indicate they do not save any percentage of their monthly income at all. Moreover, 79% of polled MENA professionals are in consensus that the cost of living will further increase in 2013, suggesting acquiring some level of saving habits may not be a bad idea across the board.
Octavio Paz is famously quoted to have said “Wisdom lies neither in fixity nor in change, but in the dialectic between the two.” Flexibility is more essential than ever in these fast moving times and what that means is your willingness to embrace new out-of-the-box thinking and ideas and continuously be open to experiment with new improved methods and processes and procedures. Next time you find the word ‘No’ automatically perched at the tip of your tongue, ask yourself if saying the opposite would challenge and grow you as a professional; if the answer is yes, embrace the opportunity wholeheartedly.
There is a lovely quote I have seen circulating of late that says “Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass; it’s about learning to dance in the rain.” Embrace the present moment and make the most out of it. Whatever your circumstances are, make the most of them and don’t postpone essential tasks or projects in anticipation of some mythical light at the end of the tunnel or a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow; work as though everything rested on your performance today; work as though every present moment is the most significant moment in your life and career.
People hire and work with people they like, admire and trust. You may have the best credentials on the block but if you are not sincerely pleasant and cooperative in the workplace, chances are your CV shows frequent job changes. Likewise, if you are not passionate about what you do, you can be almost certain your clients can see right through that as can your manager and peers. Find some meaning in what you do and rediscover the passion that can cause you to radiate happiness and goodwill and perform optimally. Smile from the heart. Nothing is as contagious or conducive to success as a genuinely good attitude. According to the Bayt.com ‘Work Satisfaction in the MENA’ poll, November 2012, 94% of MENA professionals find real meaning in what they do.
