I’m going through a lot of change — here’s how I’m managing

How do you deal with change?

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This might be one of the most universal questions humanity ponders! But today I’m asking it on a personal scale.

The fact is, I’m going through a lot of personal change: With my kids grown I’m downsizing and selling my house.

It’s creating a multitude of feelings: it’s hard, exciting, sad, satisfying.

I wrote in a Dispatch over the summer about my decluttering efforts. Well, this downsizing project makes that look like child’s play! Fortunately, I have a lot of experience managing change, and it’s helping me manage myself through this change.

Here’s what I know to do:

1. Go section by section, slowly but surely.

I'm doing one room and one section at a time. My daughter’s room is empty now, so we’re using it as a staging area. Cleaning up my bookshelf and donating 90% of my books was its own section. I also did my kitchen, and that was a big project. When we had family over for the holidays, I asked them to take what they wanted and donated the rest.

“Real change, enduring change, happens one step at a time.”

• Ruth Bader Ginsberg

2. Plan projects — and breaks. 

I don’t do a lot at one time. I’m going slowly, working on a project or section for no more than two hours at a time. Then I plan to do something else to take a break. I know I can’t let this consume my life. That would deplete my energy. Instead, I’ve given myself plenty of time to downsize methodically before the moving truck arrives.

3. Put boundaries in place.

Every time I declutter a section or pack up a room, I put everything away when I’m done. I clear my counters and pick things up off the floor so there’s order in my home. Instead of boxes and disarray everywhere, the projects stay contained and I can close the door to our staging area (formerly known as my daughter’s bedroom!).

Here’s what I know, [FIRST NAME GOES HERE]: Change and disruption are inevitable. And to succeed in making change happen, we must give ourselves both breaks and continuity throughout the process.

So tell me — how do YOU deal with change? I’d love to hear your tips and experiences. Hit reply and let me know!

My Latest:

• I shared the three top leadership priorities for 2022 in my livestream yesterday. They are: 1. Push customer obsession to the front lines of your organization; 2. Define the employee relationship; and 3) Rethink your relationship with failure. Watch to hear the details or subscribe to my LinkedIn newsletter Leading Disruption to see the written post this Friday. Change is the only constant. Are you prepared for what’s after digital transformation?

• What’s most effective: setting achievable goals, or audacious ones? That’s what I’m discussing in my livestream next Tuesday, January 18th, at 9 am PT / 12 pm ET. Join me on LinkedIn! 

Good Things:

• Good Reads: My friend and colleague Whitney Johnson’s newest book Smart Growth came out this week! She shares a seven-point framework for helping leaders adapt quickly to change and speed up their learning curve. I highly recommend it! Bonus: Whitney will join me for a livestream on Wed. Jan. 19th at 10:30 am PT / 1:30 pm ET - please join us for a lively discussion about her book.

• Referrals: I don’t watch much TV, and finally had a chance to binge watch the AppleTV+ show Ted Lasso. It’s like a textbook on how to lead and turnaround a team. And the best part is that Ted himself must grow as a person and leader, setting aside his limiting beliefs moving out of his comfort zone. So much depth in the show - I highly recommend it.

• Resource: Have you joined your local Buy Nothing group? I’m obsessed with mine! It’s been a major resource as I downsize and prepare to move. It feels good to participate in the gift economy. For example, I gave away a brand new, unused croquet set to a special ed teacher for her class. It was so gratifying to see the set being put to good use.

Heather — let’s embed this image to the bottom of the email (centered) for more visual interest. Chelsea can supply you with the original graphic

Thank you to Workplace from Facebook for sponsoring the Disruption Dispatch.