Perspectives On Design Thinking

5 Ways to Embrace Vulnerability

You must have seen inspirational quotes that encourage you to get out and do something you wouldn’t normally do. But moving into your vulnerable zone

by getting out of your routine takes a lot of work. If you understand the science behind why it’s so hard to break out of your comfort zone, and why you should do it, then you may want to give it a try at work and in your personal life.

The comfort zone is our routines – things we are familiar with. Simply put, the comfort zone is a behavioral space where your activities and behaviors fit a routine and pattern that minimizes stress and risk. Its obvious benefits include regular happiness, low anxiety, and reduced stress.

To move out of the comfort zone means to put oneself at the edge of the vulnerable zone – the zone of “optimal anxiety” — a space where our stress levels are slightly higher than normal and it’s just outside our comfort zone.

Here are five things you can do to ease out of your comfort zone:

Switch up your routine
Routines are as much about comfort as they are about efficiency. You can alter your routine in small but meaningful ways, or try doing something that is completely opposite to what you are accustomed to. Walk to a place that you usually drive to. Have lunch at a different time, at a different place. Take up an activity or project in office that you haven’t done before. Small shake-ups in your routine may lead to meeting new people and seeing different sights, which help kick-start ideas and break the routine pattern at a cognitive level.

Ask questions other people don’t like to
Have open conversations with colleagues. Ask deep questions and listen to the answers. Ask questions that most others may never have asked. You may be surprised to discover a different side of the person which could add value to your team. You may discover new opportunities within your office.

Start conversations with strangers
Striking up a conversation with the person next to you, while waiting in a queue or at the canteen is a great way to meet new people and learn amazing things about them.

Agree to something you wouldn’t normally consider
Sometimes when someone offers you something that you would normally refuse, surprise yourself by saying yes. It may be trying a new strategy at a particular task at work, or accepting an invitation to join a new game on the weekend. Even if it doesn’t work out, you may learn something from the experience.

Try activities that challenge you
Think about a few things that scare you or make you nervous. Write them down on a list, and put a star next to the one you want to start with. Tackle them one by one.

In a nutshell:

Switch up your routine
Ask questions other people don’t like to
Start conversations with strangers
Agree to something you wouldn’t normally consider
Try activities that challenge you

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