Getting out of your comfort zone at work

Everyone has a comfort zone, both in their personal and professional lives. This is the area where you’re most comfortable. You know what you’re doing and don’t have to take any risks.

But it’s important to be able to step out of your comfort zone whilst working. In this article, we’ll give you tips on how to do so.

> What actually is a “comfort zone”?

The easiest way to define your comfort zone is where you feel safe. You know the outcome of everything you do.

In a professional capacity, it’s a method of working that requires minimal effort and gets acceptable results.

Some things that often push people outside of their comfort zones are:

• Public speaking

• Decision making

• Taking responsibility

• Making a mistake

While these can feel daunting, they are the things that may actually help you excel.

> Why is stepping out of your comfort zone at work beneficial?

Breaking free of those fears that are keeping you comfortable can help you to grow as an individual. It may also improve your job performance. In a study named ‘Motivating Personal Growth by Seeking Discomfort’, it was found that this “tangible feeling” of discomfort can lead to positive goal progression.

Increase creativity

Coming up with new solutions to tasks can help to increase your creativity. You’re encouraged to think out of the box and try new things.

It can improve productivity

When staying within your comfort zone, it can be easy to not push yourself too much. When you decide to challenge yourself, you allow yourself to relearn approaches to certain tasks.

By doing this, you’ll learn what you’re capable of! You’ll learn how to manage your time better and that the easy way isn’t always the best way.

It can promote growth

By taking a step out of your comfort zone, you’ll acquire new skills. You’ll expand your skill set, knowledge and experience.

No matter the success of you trying new approaches, you’ll grow as a person.

It can improve your ability to adapt

Experiencing new things can help you become better at dealing with the unfamiliar. It’ll help you remain calm when new challenges arise and help you improve your decision making skills.

> So, how do you actually get out of your comfort zone?

The first thing to do is to work out where your comfort zone ends. What are things that you actively avoid doing because they scare you?

Talk to your manager or coworkers about your fears. They can help ease you into new things and support you as you take on new projects.

They may also be able to recommend training courses on things such as public speaking to give you more knowledge on the subject.

Reach out to coworkers on different teams that you may not have daily contact with. Offer your services to their projects, explaining that you’re trying to branch out and improve your skills.

Research articles online to learn about things you don’t do in your day to day role. Then start small and implement what you have learned.

The most important thing is to keep an open mind and don’t be scared of making mistakes. There’s nothing wrong with failure, that’s how we learn! Set yourself short term goals to keep you on the right track.

Monitor how you develop both personally and professionally during the process. You’ll be able to look back and see how far you’ve grown, giving you that confidence boost to keep trying new things.

When you take action, before you know it, what once felt daunting you can now take in your stride. Then you start the process again to continue your growth and confidence.

Take that first step and search our graduate jobs to kickstart your new career today!