I’ve done a lot of hiking in my life. In fact, years ago I used to take people on guided hikes as part of my work at an outdoor retailer. One of my favorite things to do while hiking is to stop and look back at how far I’ve traveled on the trail. Plus, I can catch my breath and get a drink of water!
Periodically stopping allows me to enjoy the view and appreciate how far I’ve traveled on the trail. I’ve been dumb-founded by sweeping views that would’ve gone unseen had I not paused to look up from the trail.Like hiking, in work, it’s pretty common to keep looking at what’s right in front of you and plod away, step-by-step, on the path you’re on. There’s a lot to see that is immediately in front of your eyes! The piles of paper on your desk. The to-do list(s). Constant interruptions from team members. It’s all important and critical to the success of your job, which hopefully aligns with the goals and mission of your department and company. By no means am I saying to avoid doing what you should do at work. I am suggesting that you build in breaks so that you can periodically pause and review how far you’ve come.
Pausing to appreciate how far you’ve come in work could include:
- Once a month have lunch with your closest teammates and discuss successes.
- Each Friday afternoon, flip back through your to-do lists and review all the things you’ve accomplished during tat week.
- Every two weeks review your calendar and send a note to 1 or 2 people who have been instrumental in current projects.
Other than a team lunch, these pauses on the trail should not take much time – perhaps 5-10 minutes. Allow yourself to catch your breath. Stop and enjoy the view. Cheer on your fellow hikers and be rejuvenated together to continue on the path.