Thinking outside the box

Something that I have been trying to work on recently is how to think outside of the box. I feel that a lot of the time I like pattern and routine and get set in a particular way of doing things - so I then get stiffled when I have to think outside of the box.

This issue particularly became prominent in situations at work where I would work myself really hard and spend a lot of time on tasks without sometimes thinking whether there was a quicker, more efficient way of doing it.

I've been pondering a little on why I do this recently and I think one of the reasons is that I often absorb myself in tasks without thinking outside of the box is because I get scared of change and the idea of doing something wrong. At least if I follow the manual and stick to the same way things can't go wrong...

But the problem is when you are busy and have a lot to do, you end up working yourself silly just to meet the deadlines. Therefore it is important to find new and innovative ways which may save time so that you are not left working and working away aimlessly at a task that could be completed much more quickly and efficiently.

Here are some tips which have helped me overcome this overtime and can hopefully help me and others who may struggle with this continue to improve. This can be applied at work, at home or even in education:

1. Busy? Working to meet a deadline that you think you may struggle with? Stop for 5 minutes - think, how can I speed up this process in order to meet the deadline? Is there anyone I can ask to help or talk to in order to help solve this problem?

2. Not too busy today? Don't fill your day too quickly! Make a list of tasks that you've been spending a lot of time on and start to think about how you can become more efficient at them. List a few ideas and perhaps communicate with collegues and managers about them.

3. Collaboration. There may be other people you know who are particularly good at thinking outside the box. So it is a good idea to colloborate and learn from them. Talk to them about a task that you've been spending a lot of time on and take ideas from them on how things can be improved. We sometimes get set in our own ways so talking to other people can help with this.

4. Take breaks and get some fresh air. Sometimes when you have been working on a project for a long time it can be difficult to think in a new and innovative way. So sometimes it's nice to just grab a tea or coffee or take a walk and come back with a new and fresh way of thinking.

5. Stay calm and avoid panicking in busy situations. If you are feeling particularly busy and under pressure then sometimes you get stuck into a mindless way of doing something just to get it done. However, if you calm down and look at the situation objectively and from a detached point of view you will see that it is not as stressful as you making it out to be. You can then approach it in a quicker and more efficient manner.

So there you have it. 5 ways that you can think outside of the box more and hopefully make your days a tad less stressful, which is always helpful!