I love to sew and I was due for a new machine after struggling by with one that was old and couldn't sew a straight stitch. I found a machine that seemed (no pun intended) to be exactly what I was looking for. Challenge? Sewing machines are now computer operated and I had an entire new set of skills to learn and apply if I was going to be able to make the best of this new and wonderful piece of equipment. So I signed up for a class. There I sat among nine or ten enthusiastic ladies waiting to discover the magical powers of our high-tech machines. I was excited and ready to learn. I was having a good day so I felt ready and able to take this on.
The class began and the instructor talked, a lot. We didn't touch our machines while she went through the directions for each function, we were to listen a pay attention. When she finished her demo, we were supposed to remember what she had just said and perform a series of steps, just the way she had demonstrated. Now granted, it was just a few steps and they were pretty logical, but minute by minute I could feel my brain becoming a jumble of incomprehensible messages, all tumbled and twisted around each other. I concentrated and paid attention. I watched this lady like a hawk, determined to get it right. With every application, it seemed I was the only one who got it wrong! How embarrassing! At one point, we were given three steps to complete, in sequence. I messed up my sequence and jammed my brand new machine. I was publicly reprimanded and felt about two inches tall. I even had to stay after class to have my machine repaired. Later this week I am attending a program for a certification in my field with members from my work team. Have to say, I'm a bit concerned. I don't want a repeat of my sewing machine lessons and I've observed that my experiences as a learner don't always turn out the way I'd like. Lots of times I'm willing, but my mind just glazes over and I get very stuck.
I can usually get through a day's work without too much trouble, so maybe I can think of this conference as a day's work instead of a learning situation. The difference between being at work and in a class as a learner, is that at work, I get to set my own pace and build in brain-breaks when I feel on overload. Meetings have an ebb and flow that includes some side conversations and laughter, which is a great energizer for me. If someone comes into my office wanting a meeting, I can ask to meet a little while later. That way, if my mental or physical energy is low, I can use one of my little strategies to get it back up again. When I need a boost I can stretch at my desk, get up and get a cool drink of water, eat a snack, close my eyes for a few minutes or take a little relaxation trip in my head.
I try to manage my work days so I can feel confident and successful. But this week, someone else will be in charge. What if I can't keep up? What if I go into brain fog and can't see my way clear to be an effective learner? What if I embarrass my team? Well, those things may or may not happen. Instead of worrying, I plan to manage my days at this conference using strategies from my typical work day. That way, I am going in with a plan to sustain my energy as an effective learner and not focused on what has gone wrong in the past. I'm looking forward to this week with a new vision of what it will be. I just hope there are some folks there that appreciate my team's sense of humor.
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