08/05/2026
Changing something by just 1%
It’s something that’s really resonated with my clients when talking about how stressful work has become. Restructuring, new office dynamics, new politics to navigate and understand - throw in neurodiversity exacerbating the difficulty of change - too many jobs thrown their department’s way, having to pick up the slack for others, life outside work becoming smaller as a consequence, no time to exercise, less inclination to do much other than TV and takeout. I get it. I think quite a lot of us get it, because quite a lot of us have been there too.
Often when we feel really overwhelmed, clarity can be hard to find. Everything feels like it’s too much effort and as one client said, “I’ve just had enough.”
But here’s the thing - change doesn’t have to be huge, neither does personal growth. We don’t have to sign up for a marathon today with zero history of running. Because change can start with something really, really small. And sometimes, that one small thing gives you the confidence to change another very small thing, and then maybe another, and another. It’s Dave Brailsford’s Sky Cycling approach, “aggregation of marginal gains” in our lived, every day experience.
It could be as simple as, today I’m setting a reminder to do that thing I keep forgetting, or today I’m going to actually take my lunch hour and go for a walk, or I’m going to finish on time and go straight to the driving range for 30mins, or I’m going to simply move my meds that I keep forgetting to take to right by the kettle because I always make a morning coffee so I won’t forget them anymore, or I’ll set a reminder to send that email that I keep forgetting and now I’m worried about, or I’ll download that app that helps me track things or gives me breathing exercises, or I’ll set the alarm 10minutes earlier for tomorrow so that I get up and go and stretch and walk around my garden in the quiet before the kids wake up.
Change doesn’t have to be massive. Start with just 1%.
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