If there’s one thing that’s constant about life and careers, it’s that everything changes. If you want to reach your full potential while enjoying your work along the way, one of the best things you can do is to learn to adapt to changes and better yourself to become more flexible at work and in life, no matter the circumstance.
AXA Philippines, one of the country’s leading insurance providers, offers these tips on how to be flexible so you can have a great career and life:
Accept what you can’t change. Change is inevitable and it’s something that is outside of our control. Holding on to a false sense of control can cause a lot of stress. It’s better to accept your limited ability to change a person or situation, so you can let go of unnecessary anxieties and frustrations. If you sometimes find yourself doubting whether you can handle a new life choice or career change, keep in mind that you're stronger than you think. There may be vulnerability in uncertainty, but there is also serenity and freedom from accepting things as they are and learning how to adapt to change.
Develop your skill set. Let’s say you’re aiming for a job promotion, or perhaps you just want to take on a new career path, then developing your skills and making an effort to learn new ones is important to help you be equipped and deal with challenges at work and hopefully, in life as well. Keep an eye out for relevant podcasts, short courses, or online webinars, where your career heroes will speak. Also, stay curious and keep up-to-date with industry trends to help ensure that your knowledge and skillset remain relevant.
Be willing to compromise. Sometimes, when working on a group project at work, your ideas and strategies don’t align with your colleagues. Same goes with collaborative efforts at home. But, agreeing to compromise, listening to the group, and spending some time to discuss the planning process are great practices in flexibility. As a group, you can also use techniques such as mind mapping to explore the ideas of all the team members. This will make it easier for you to adapt if you find yourself in a similar situation where you have to follow someone else's lead. The compromise will also make for a better working relationship with others — and may make it easier to complete projects successfully. Making a little effort to compromise can go a long way, making you a lot more flexible in both work and life.
Have a strong support network. Having a supportive and stable network of people around you is essential. You can divide up tasks and give each other feedback and emotional support. That will not only boost collaboration and optimism among your colleagues, but it can also be vital for helping fellow employees get through stressful or tough times, whether in their professional or personal lives. Surrounding yourself with people who you can bounce ideas off and get constructive feedback from can greatly enhance your chance of success. This teaches you the value of teamwork and flexibility when dealing with different personalities and with people from all walks of life.
Step out of your comfort zone. If you want to further improve flexibility at work and in life, coming out of your shell and thinking outside the box can be a good start. Getting out of your comfort zone and trying new things at work and in life is a proactive way to become more adaptable. This may include looking out for tasks or projects that require you to work independently or are outside your area of expertise, by taking the initiative to incorporate something new into your daily routine, you're preparing yourself for the inevitable moment when there may be changes that are out of your control while expanding your horizons at the same time.
Plan ahead. When you're figuring out your life plan, it helps to know what you want to change and what you want to achieve. For most people, that could mean their job, health, finances, or goals. To help you assess how those areas of life are currently working for you, think about what are your values and what truly matters in life. Moreover, even if you can't predict exactly what will happen, you can still plan for the unexpected. One way of doing so is by looking for a trusted and flexible insurance plan, like AXA MyLifeChoice, which you can adjust based on your budget, protection coverage and preferred payment term. With AXA MyLifeChoice, you can be prepared for any financial setback while you work your way up to manifest your goals.
The more attention and efforts we channel on improving our flexibility in work and life, the more likely we are to do everything we put our minds to and expand our capabilities exponentially. For more information on AXA MyLifeChoice, visit https://www.axa.com.ph/mylifechoice.