A Better “Workout”:The Real Secret to Progress in Business
The algorithm is constantly bombarding me with Generation X memes to remind me of my age.
If you've ever made a mix tape, it might be time to schedule your colonoscopy...
Some content, like nostalgia about recording cassette-mixes for friends, make me both smile, and pity the “youngun’s” who missed out on this unique craft.
I remember Saturday mornings, waiting for Casey Kasem to present the Weekly Top 40 so I could record my favorite tunes, crossing my fingers that he wouldn’t talk over the intro.
Other posts remind me that, as my body changes (I've heard perimenopause called “cougar puberty”, which made me guffaw), it's time to change how I work out.
Long, intense cardio sessions? Out.
Lots of reps with medium weights? Gone.
The experts are pointing out that for women who know what Caboodles & Trapper Keepers are, doing a short workout with only ~6 reps per set of heavy weights for strength, and 3-5 short sprint-intervals of cardio, is plenty.
It almost seems too easy.
It feels like cheating when I'm used to “real” workouts taking a lot of time.
I'm trying to acclimate to the idea that fewer-but-more-challenging moves are the path to my fitness goals. It’s still hard, but now in a different, more time-efficient way.
And as it turns out, true productivity & progress towards business (and life) goals are similar to a GenX woman's workout.
That is, instead of piddling around with “the feeling of being busy”, we need to focus on fewer, but braver, moves.
Humans love to feel like we're making progress, but there are a million low-stakes ways to give ourselves that dopamine-hit of forward movement without making a dent in the real tasks at hand.
A few that I see (and do) over and over:
catching up on email,
finding the “perfect” tool or tech for the task at hand,
reorganizing a desk or junk drawer,
reading one more book or taking one more course…
But often what will really move the needle forward in business is that brave next step you're avoiding.
You know, the one that puts you out there.
The one that feels vulnerable and awkward.
(And then the brave step after that, and the next one after that).
The thing is:
Most real progress lives outside your comfort zone.
The sooner you accept this,
The more you develop the “bravery muscles”, and grow your confidence,
The more leaps & bounds you make toward your actual goals, and
The more time you free up to live your life (I, for one, would rather spend time hiking than checking email for the 107th time in a day).
What's the brave thing you're avoiding?
What if you didn't let yourself check email until you just took imperfect action and did it?
What songs would you want on the “I'm proud of you” mix-tape I'd make you to celebrate those bold moves?
You’ve got this,
Jane