Groundhog Day is February 2nd, an American holiday that inspired the 1993 film starring Bill Murray & Andie MacDowell. Bill Murray’s character is a weatherman who finds himself in February 2, reliving the past. You may feel like Bill when you get up in the morning. The feeling of being stuck with the exact same day over and again can make it difficult to get out of bed. Worse, you may feel like there are no escapes or opportunities for change.
“I keep reliving the same day over again.”
If this is your feeling, you don’t have to follow Bill’s extreme approach of getting into the tub with a toaster. As the movie progresses, Murray learns and grows, ultimately learning how to change the world in which it is trapped. You have the option to do this too. Even better, you can make much faster progress than Bill Murray.
This article will help you make a difference in your day.
“What would you do if your life was stuck in one place, with no change?
It’s easy to feel that you don’t have much control over large organizations or industries. However, acknowledging this feeling without taking any action to change it is admitting to instant defeat. The movie shows Bill allowing events to unfold the same way day after day. He anticipates the barking and dropping of plates but does not take any action to change the situation he is certain will occur. Bill accepts Groundhog Day as a way of life and does not take advantage of the chance to grow until Andie MacDowell suggests otherwise.
Think about how you approach your daily routine. Is there a pattern that you can anticipate, or complications you are certain will occur? Is it possible to predict when a colleague is going to be upset, but not take the necessary actions to stop them from happening? It is time to change your ways if you keep stepping in the same puddles. Bill learns that the things you do really do matter.
What should you do?
“Anything is better than nothing.”
These words are true and Bill is relieved to utter them. While mastering the art of ice sculpture and the piano might not be a way to increase productivity, think about what skills you could develop or strengthen that would allow you to do more work each day, taking you away from monotony.
Every day you repeat the same thing, you should learn something new. You should evaluate your choices and the outcomes of those actions, and then learn from them. Bill initially fails to do so, which delays his eventual success. He expects the problems to solve themselves. Each decision you make will inspire you to move forward and teach you something the next day, no matter how small or large.
Even better, could you come up with ways to transform this “one step at time” approach into leaps and progress, so you can achieve your goal quicker than Bill? You can learn from Bill’s early inaction that if you remain static, you will never accomplish anything new.
‘If you gotta shoot, aim high.’
Make a list of the changes that you can make to your day and your processes to be more efficient. This will help you feel less stuck in time. After you’ve done this, make sure to implement these changes immediately. Give your new ideas a try the next time you sit down to work. Are you finding the difference to be positive or negative? Are you noticing a difference in your work day? What can you do to build on the lessons you have learned?
After experimenting with different tasks, Bill Murray discovered which ones are both rewarding and useful. He tries to fit as many of these “errands” into his daily schedule as possible. He succeeds in his goal to get the girl by completing a variety of tasks, not taking shortcuts or making excuses. This is Bill’s weakness. Planning is key. Plan what you’ll do, and then decide what actions to take.
Groundhog Day is a day that Bill Murray manages to escape. You can, too, thankfully. For your job satisfaction and wellbeing, it is important to take control of your environment. You don’t need to sit there and watch the events unfold. You can make the most out of every day, and you’ll be surprised at the results. It’s possible to get a girl’s kiss, even though you might just step in a puddle.
After he learns how to make more of his time and put it in motion again, Bill is looking forward to a varied and fulfilling life that he can control. He will also be able use the skills that he has acquired along the way to get more out of each day, both personally and professionally.
Groundhog Day is a situation that will determine the actions you take. However, if your work environment is not conducive to taking specific steps, a Business Coach may be able to help you. This could be your first step in beating Bill to the girl.
Laura is the Director of Coaching at BusinessCoaching.co.uk – Notion and the force behind the outstanding quality of Executive Coaching that Notion offers. Laura’s main focus is on organisational growth. All coaching programmes are designed to align executive goals with organisational goals in order to ensure a return of investment.