I’ve started a new job. People say I’ve crossed over to the dark side, but I don’t think so.
After four years working in media, communications, brand and campaign roles at CARE Australia, I’ve moved into a corporate affairs strategy role at NAB – one of Australia’s top four big banks.
Starting a new job has given me the chance to reflect on my career so far and to think deeply about my goals for the future. Having some time off between jobs has also allowed me time to consider my professional strengths as well as areas for continued development. Besides the opportunity for self reflection, starting a new job is incredibly exciting, but it’s also nerve-racking.
Changing jobs means you’re letting go of the security blanket you knew and entering the unknown. Sure, you might know a bit about the organisation through your research, interview and from people you know who work there, but until you get under its skin, you’ll never truly know whether you’ll like your new employer, your job and your team.
Understanding all the moving parts of your job description, getting to know your new manager, navigating a new organisational culure, uncovering new personalities, mastering the internal processes, ticking off all the induction tasks and demonstrating your worth means your brain is soaking up loads of information, and besides feeling exhausted, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed and unsure of yourself.
Being the new kid on the block is a big adjustment, but there are several things you can do to make the transition easier and more enjoyable. Here are a few of the ways I am keeping sane while finding my feet.
Exercise
It’s easy to fall into the trap of stopping exercise when you start a new job. And I get why. At the end of a long day learning new things, my brain is fried and I just want to go home, have dinner and sleep. It would be easy to make excuses such as ‘I’m tired’ or ‘it’s too hard to fit it in’, but exercise doesn’t doesn’t have to be complicated.
Doing something is better than doing nothing. I know that when I exercise – even a little bit – I feel better. My energy levels are higher, I’m more alert and positive, and I sleep better. Everything just seems that little bit easier.
As my my new work is only a few kilometres away, I’ve decided to walk to and from work for the first couple of weeks. It’s quite a nice change from hitting the gym or running and I’m enjoying exploring my neighbourhood and spending more time outdoors.
Bushwalking is a great form of exercise
Stay in the ‘now’
When you join a new team and meet all the incredibly talented people you’ll be working with we can sometimes feel anxious about our own skills and experience, and how we fit in to the bigger picture. We are eager to prove our worth, and sometimes this will play out as feeling the need to be competitive. Alternatively, it might lead to thinking about the roles you’d like to be doing in the future. But this type of thinking isn’t helpful and ultimately it’s distratcing us from embracing the very job we have come to do.
Disclosure: I’m a bit of a worrier, so I tend to think about the future and try to solve problems before they even happen, which ends in me getting distracted from what’s truly important. Being aware of this tendancy helps me watch my thoughts and to try and notice when my thoughts begin to rob me of the now.
Instead of spending precious time worrying about other people or what may or may not happen in the future, I’m channelling my enegry into doing the very best in my new role. If there’s one thing I’m going to nail this year it’s my new job!
“No yesterdays are ever wasted for those who give themselves to today.” ~Brendan Francis
Meditation
No doubt you’ve heard about the benefits of meditation or mindfullness. I’m a big believer in it and I try to practice it regularly, but I sometimes forget. Starting a new job has given me the chance to set up a few new routines in my life, and one of those is meditation. I first started practicing meditation a few years ago through the Kadampa Meditation Centre and I’ve been meditating on and off ever since.
Sometimes the ambiguity of my new job almost gets the better of me and I start to question what I’m doing and why I changed jobs. So when this happens, I take a ten minute break and find a quiet spot inside or out and practice a simple breathing meditation to reset my mind and to remember to be grateful for what opportunities lie ahead of me.
Stay in the now
Be positive
Starting a new job is a bit like riding a roller coaster. You have ups and downs; good days and bad. So when you’re new and finding your way, it’s important to remember to be kind to yourself.
While your learning about the new organisation you work for and the responsibilities of your job, it can feel like your not adding value right away. And let’s be honest, you probably aren’t, but you have plenty of time to do this – so relax. More often than not our own expectations are far greater than those of our managers or colleagues. This has been one of my past trip-ups. I’m harder on myself than I should be. So this time round, I’m focussed on not sweating the small stuff. Instead I’m spending time getting to know my colleagues and the business, and reading as much as I can before things ramp up – because I know they will – it’s just a matter of time. I’m also taking a few minutes at the end of each day to reflect on all the good things that happened – and not what didn’t happen. By doing this I’m batting away any negative feelings about myself, my capacbilities and my new job.
Go the extra mile
Let’s be honest. Early on in my new job, I probably don’t have all the knowledge, experience, contacts and connections I need to wow the pants off anyone. But one thing I do have is the willingness and drive to learn and work hard. So I’m focussing on doing just that. Whatever task I am given, I am giving it my all with the aim of executing flawlessly. Furthermore, I’m letting people know if I have capacity to help. It’s a good way to make new friends and to show your colleagues that you’re a team player with the group’s interests at heart. Afterall, who wants to sit around twiddling their thumbs?
Woo hoo, I’ve got a new job!