As human beings we are always selecting on what to focus. Therefore our attention to a large extent affects how we interpret the world around us and also our own place in it.
Pitfall of our own thinking
If you work in an open office, chances are your inner monologue all the time repeats itself along the following lines:
- Other people are always passing by
- It’s constantly noisy in here
- There is always someone talking here
You experience such thoughts on a daily basis. Every time something from the list happens, your convictions are reinforced. This is your confirmation bias and you may be unaware of the long periods of calm or the moments when it is only you who is making a noise. You focus on and thus perceive just certain aspects of your working environment. That merely reinforces the idea you started with. Our perception is a reality which has been created by our own self-talk, according to an article on the management-issues.com website.
Change the negative patterns
The process to change such patterns has three phases.
- Notice what you are focusing on
- Reframe it by being positive
- Adopt this positive frame as your new default mindset
You should also challenge yourself whenever you have a negative thought concerning your abilities or situation. Try to think of evidence which you can rely on in order to feel empowered. Consciously and deliberately opt for thinking in a positive light. Once you manage to create positive intentions for yourself, you will stop pondering over your own doubts and worries. That is no way to spend your working hours.
-jk-