Adaptability plays a role in success of all kinds. The world does not stay the same for long, especially in the age of technology. Since life cannot move forward without change, knowing how to adapt to this constant flow is essential to our wellbeing, both personally and professionally.
Greek philosopher Heraclitus believed permanence is an illusion because everything is in a process of constant change. According to him, “No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it’s not the same river and he’s not the same man.” As we continue to navigate the rapidly evolving world centuries later, we see the truth behind this sentiment. The world does not stay the same for long, especially in the age of technology. Since life cannot move forward without change, knowing how to adapt to this constant flow is essential to our wellbeing, both personally and professionally.
Adaptability in Life
The American Psychological Association (APA) defines adaptability as the power to give appropriate responses to changing situations. Achieving this skill requires the ability to vary one’s behaviors, thoughts, and emotions to properly match the circumstances at hand. Adaptation necessitates creative problem solving to come up with new approaches to thinking and empathy to activate healthy emotions. An appropriate frame of mind and set of behaviors in response to change stems from the development of innovative, confident, and courageous thoughts.
Against common misconception, however, the reshaping of our responses to change does not mean changing ourselves completely. Rather than starting from scratch every time change inevitably occurs, we can pay attention to the skills that have historically worked for us, while putting aside those that do not aid us and building additional ones known to ease the transition. Such a process of reflection entails personal introspection, as well as an understanding of change on a broader scale.
In nature, the organisms who survive are not necessarily the smartest or the strongest, but instead those most responsive to change. For humans today, the negative consequences of not adapting rarely go as far as a lack of survival. Many can survive when remaining rigid and hostile toward change. But these behaviors lead to a greater risk for depression and anxiety, in addition to other struggles within the areas of mental health, relationships, and professional success. To truly thrive, one must discover the opportunities which lie beneath change, rather than constantly fighting against them.
Despite the importance of adaptation in our daily lives, the human brain continues to lack a fondness for change. Therefore, we must train it to grow more comfortable with divergence. Our minds naturally perceive any variation in our environment as a threat, so it takes practice and preparation to develop productive responses to these alterations.
Here are five tips to become more adaptable:
#1 Keep An Open Mindset
We prefer to live in our comfort zone and favor the “known.” Embracing change, however, requires us to step into the unknown, which causes our subconscious to resist. Fear and self-limiting beliefs often kick into action. Whether change happens expectedly or unexpectedly, it acts as a disruptor, leading to stress, discomfort, and anxiety in many cases. These feelings often worsen further when we lack control over the situation.
But what we can always control is how we respond to change. The more we open ourselves up to small, planned adjustments within our life and work, the more accustomed we become to change. It helps us to adopt a power of choice and growth mindset, which can enable us to focus on the opportunities change can bring, even if the present involves a little discomfort.
#2 Seek Meaning
Keeping ourselves grounded can work wonders at helping us cope with and even thrive through change. We can accomplish this by knowing the most important aspects of our life. When we find a sense of purpose, we also discover clarity and focus that allows us to stay centered, even in the case of disruptions. We experience fewer adverse effects of change when we create a strong foundation for ourselves.
The stabilizing impact of such clarity is essential to successfully adapting to situations both within and outside of our control. Without purpose, we become more prone to drifting through life inside the confines of our comfort zone. Meanwhile, meaning in our lives gives us the courage to step out and find new opportunities on the other side of change. It allows us to take a step back when big shifts occur around us and see the bigger picture. When we remain rooted in what matters most, we may even start to find meaning in the change itself as we consider its benefits, not just its costs.
#3 Think Long-Term
Although those benefits from an impending change, especially one we did not expect or want, can prove difficult to see in the moment, thinking longer term can make them clearer. Taking the time to look forward and examine the good outcomes the change will bring can work wonders on helping us keep a positive mindset. Even as the growing pains of the new situation arise, we can remember the why behind it to ease the struggle. Oftentimes the best motivator to persevere through the rough patch is to hold onto the promise of a brighter, easier future on the horizon.
#4 Do What Feels Scary
Change feels scary oftentimes because it revolves around heading into the unknown. To become more secure with this concept, our subconscious needs to grow more familiar with exiting our comfort zone and facing what frightens us. Since practice makes perfect, we can teach our minds these tricks by creating a list of scary things we want to do but have not put into action due to fear. Then after building the list, we can go out and do them. The more we have fun, challenge ourselves, and get used to pushing through the feeling of being scared, the better we can adjust to future changes. Even big, intimidating ones that catch us off-guard.
#5 Focus on Living a Balanced, Healthy Life
Building our resilience helps us more successfully manage unexpected occurrences in our life. In the short-term, stress can act as a normal and even positive response to dealing with challenges in daily life, as it allows us to perform better under pressure. But constant stress, especially when caused by situations that do not necessitate it, can pose threats to our health. Therefore, our physical and emotional survival depends on finding positive ways to deal with stress.
Developing healthy, balanced habits can deepen our resilience and our ability to handle pressure. Some of these lifestyle actions we can adopt include eating a healthier diet, exercising regularly, reducing caffeine and sugar intake, avoiding alcohol and cigarettes, getting enough sleep, practicing meditation, disconnecting from technology, and connecting with others. The healthier the inputs in our life become, the better the outputs, such as our responses to change, will also become. Regardless of if change comes to us because of choice, crisis, or chance, we must decide whether to accept it. By implementing the above strategies, we pre-decide to embrace change when it occurs and prepare ourselves for how to do so.
Regardless of if change comes to us because of choice, crisis, or chance, we must decide whether to accept it. By implementing the above strategies, we pre-decide to embrace change when it occurs and prepare ourselves for how to do so.
Embracing Change in the Workplace
All the above suggestions for enhancing how we respond to and even flourish from change can greatly benefit not only our daily lives, but also our professional ones. Flexible, adaptable individuals make for valuable employees. Especially in the post-pandemic world, where we know how beneficial resilience and productivity in the face of immense external pressure can become.
Embracing change gives us a chance to demonstrate different skills, learn new things, become more flexible, and keep work exciting. Our coworkers and bosses tend to see us fulfilling a certain set of responsibilities and duties, but change allows us to demonstrate additional skills they may not know we possess. When we show off new capabilities, we increase our value. In addition, we get to exercise old muscles we may not have used in a while and possibly even enjoy the challenge of a new project.
Furthermore, change can challenge our beliefs, values, and way of doing things. While this may seem jarring at first, it can lead us to finding better approaches to certain tasks, people, or problems. Going through life super rigid can prove quite difficult and tiresome. A reputation for inflexibility at work may hinder us from reaching our highest potential or cause people to steer clear from collaborating with us. The world changes so often and so quickly, we simply cannot stay still as it does so. Instead, we must allow it to help us develop flexibility both in and out of the workplace. When we open ourselves up to change like this, we learn more about ourselves, those around us, and the work itself.
Finally, no one wants to become bored. Comfortability may allow us to get into a regular routine, but life should also include growing and stretching, especially in professional settings. Change allows us to do that. Try approaching new experiences, even ones caused by uncomfortable variations, as adventures. By casting ourselves as innovators and cheerleaders for change, we can increase our value, as well as improve our excitement toward work. We can challenge ourselves, grow, and gain new skills that will benefit us both professionally, as well as personally. When we face change with a flexible, adaptable mindset we can open up numerous opportunities for ourselves and others.
Where Adaptability and Education Intersect
As showcased above, adaptability plays a role in success of all kinds. In biology, it allows a species to evolve and survive. Meanwhile, relationships thrive as the give and take of flexibility permits compromise. And in athletics, these abilities help muscles and skills become more perfected with each practice. The overarching concept of adaptability reaches so far because it also encompasses flexibility, active thinking, intuitiveness, creativity, understanding of a variety of scenarios, empathy, and more. When all these combine we find a greater level of individualized, team-based, and organizational success in every area.
Due to its high level of importance and its wide breadth of influence in our lives, adaptability is an essential skill. Therefore, as it grows increasingly vital to society, it will continue to become a necessary part of education as well. Curriculum shapes both how and what children learn, along with the amount they retain and reapply elsewhere. Adaptive curriculum, as an alternative to standardized or computer-based assessment, requires real, in-the-moment interactions where teachers guide children based on what they know about their students and what those students are ready to learn next.
In other words, teachers need adaptability to remain responsive to student needs when creating the curriculum and classroom environment. When this occurs, students get to drive their own learning, while developing a stronger sense of trust with the teacher. In addition, by demonstrating adaptability, teachers can actually instill these same skills into their students. As they experience flexibility within their educational settings, the children will become more accustomed to change and find it easier to see the benefits of such malleability.
Furthermore, adaptive classrooms exercise a higher degree of empathy by recognizing the needs of others and how they may differ from our own. Such learning environments provide the most equitable experiences for students by meeting children where they are academically and allowing content to positively reflect the diversity of backgrounds, perspectives, learning styles, and natural skillsets in the classroom. By relying on standards and curricula as guides, while also setting up an atmosphere open to exploration, teachers can ensure children learn the necessary materials in fun, playful ways they will better retain. Perhaps most importantly, though, a less rigid classroom structure acknowledges that while academic outcomes are critical, they are not the only part of education that matters. The social, interpersonal, and emotional skills gained through school also help shape kids into healthy, productive adults.
In addition to the positive effects of adaptability on students, it also benefits the educational staff. Teachers regularly encounter a diverse range of learners, face unexpected situations in the classroom, interact with a range of colleagues and parents, and integrate changing industry knowledge into their daily practices. With a job that shifts as much as teaching does and requires juggling a lot of differing perspectives, teachers thrive when they can build more flexible environments. It may involve adjusting the lesson pacing to better engage students, minimizing personal frustration when a lesson does not go to plan, or changing one’s approach to collaboration when working with a new colleague. Studies show teachers who report higher levels of adaptability within their workplace also show greater well-being and reduced levels of burnout and turnover.
A combination of healthier teachers and more flexible classrooms can significantly improve the educational experiences and outcomes for students of all ages. Professor of educational psychology at the University of Sydney Australia Andrew J. Martin points out that teaching tolerance during uncertainty and adaptability through change improves academic results. It allows students to persevere through unexpected circumstances and see opportunity in the midst of difficulty. These skills benefit them in the classroom but will also stick with them for decades to come as they enter into the workforce and deal with the constant changes life will throw at them.
Sources:
https://teachingstrategies.com/blog/adaptive-curriculum/
https://theconversation.com/being-able-to-adapt-in-the-classroom-improves-teachers-well-being-95788
https://climb.pcc.edu/blog/how-to-embrace-and-effect-change-in-the-workplace
https://www.lifehack.org/372463/why-you-need-adapt-change
https://exploringyourmind.com/the-importance-of-being-adaptable-to-change/
https://www.payscale.com/career-advice/5-reasons-to-embrace-change-at-work/
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