How to overcome challenges during your first day of work

On your first day of work, you need to step out of your comfort zone. Being in your previous job was your comfort zone where you were comfortable with your colleagues, your assignments, your routine at work as knew the working style of your colleagues.

On your first day, you might not be very sure with regards to what you were supposed to be doing, and assignments with very short deadline could have been thrown to you.

Here are some tips to overcome that.

ENJOY THE PROCESS

We all must start from somewhere. You must understand that during your previous job, the transitioning process was not that easy as well. When you are experiencing discomfort, it means you are challenging yourself, and are progressing. You are also likely a skill which makes you feel incompetent for now, but you must keep reminding yourself that it is all right.

ASK FOR HELP AND ACCEPT IT

This is crucial because it makes more sense to shout for help in the initial stages in comparison to shouting for help a few months down the road when people assumed you should be well familiar with it. It is acceptable for you to put your pride aside and ask for help from someone who have done it before. Do not assume your colleagues are too busy to help you in transition because as the saying goes – never ask never to know.

When you ask, you also gradually build relationships among your colleague. An intelligent person would make use of the resources instead of just self-reliance.

DON’T GIVE UP

Gradually, it will get better. The starting is always the most challenging, but you will get there one day. You will likely be very uncertain, hence not very comfortable in speaking up during meetings or unsure of how is the best approach to handle your boss.

3 Simple Tips To Have Better Water Cooler Conversations

Interactions between colleagues is one of the ways to quickly grow a conducive working environment. While safe topics about work and weather reports are common in the office, it takes more than that to be able to establish yourself as a co-worker and friend. Being able to hold good conversations in the office helps to lighten the mood, introduce yourself as a valuable personality to the rest, and can be especially helpful in awkward elevator situations.

Of course, one must balance out their time between doing proper work and talking to others at the office, unless it is a networking event. There are usually short amounts of time one can chat freely, such as lunch breaks, or crowding around the common water cooler. While it is tricky to turn short nuggets of conversations into meaningful chats, there are certain ways that can guarantee better exchanges between the two parties.

START THE BALL ROLLING WITH THEM

It is the end of a long weekend break, so there is no time better than now to ask what’s new with your colleague. Starting the conversation with a genuine interest in the other party is a powerful way to get the ball rolling as people like talking about the topic they are most comfortable with: themselves. It also helps you to get to know your co-workers better, and builds a mutual sense of respect and trust. Although, be careful not to be too intrusive as it might be touch on some private aspects of their lives, so finding a neutral balance is key here.

CHOOSE TOPICS THAT ENCOURAGE OPINIONS

Getting someone’s opinions create an opportunity for one to embrace differences and learn from the other. Sticking to topics that are routine or ordinary will get the conversation flow nowhere, usually leading to stagnant common ground. Instead, try to bring in topics like favourite television series or cuisine genres, where you can make certain stands and voice them out. This encourages healthy debates that can strengthen and stimulate the mindsets of both sides. At the end of it, new information may be shared during the process to help colleagues learn from one another, which can either help to augment standing opinions or form entirely new ideas.

FOLLOW UP ON OLD CONVERSATIONS

There is nothing more sincere than remembering an old conversation, perhaps one that got interrupted previously or left hanging for future catching up. If the conversation is worth a rehash, bring it up with your colleague to connect with him or her on a deeper level. It shows that the conversation is important enough to be recalled, or that you have new things to add to the conversation, like additional titbits or other information. It also allows for you and your co-workers to develop fresh perspectives on an old topic, encouraging a more meaningful exchange this round.