Listening mindfully

Staying on track: maintaining purposeful goal direction

Using a solution-focused approach for goal achievement: peer coaching

Learning from critical incidents

Using reflective spaces

Encounters with service users, patients, are unique and require a flexible approach and learning mindset. Engaging in both informal and formal learning opportunities and seeking feedback from colleagues and stakeholders enable continuing professional development. The following characteristics are particularly important:  

<p>Encounters with people who use services are unique and require a flexible approach and learning mindset. Engaging in both informal and formal learning opportunities and seeking feedback from colleagues and stakeholders enable continuing professional development.</p>



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<p>Reflective pause</p>



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<p><em><strong>How might keeping an &#8216;I did&#8217; list help me stay organised, motivated, and focused on achieving my goals?</strong></em></p>



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<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="832" height="658" src="https://isort-backend.s14staging.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/i-dont-know.png" alt="" class="wp-image-2772" srcset="https://isort-backend.s14staging.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/i-dont-know.png 832w, https://isort-backend.s14staging.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/i-dont-know-300x237.png 300w, https://isort-backend.s14staging.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/i-dont-know-768x607.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 832px) 100vw, 832px" /></figure>


Keeping an ‘I did’ list


<p>Kanban, a Japanese term meaning billboard or signboard, is a production management system that aims to minimise waste and maximise efficiency. Kanban has been translated into a personal scheduling system that restricts work-in-progress to enhance productivity and avoid burnout (<span tooltipText=" Personal Kanban: Mapping work, navigating life. Modus Cooperandi Press." class="has-tooltip">Benson and DeMaria Barry, 2011)</span><strong>.</strong></p>



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<p>Put simply, Kanban involves limiting (say to three or four) the number of tasks you are working on at any one time. When you have completed one task, you can introduce another – and so on.&nbsp;</p>



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<p>Use Post-it notes and a whiteboard with three columns – ‘To do’, ‘Doing’, ‘Done’ – (see figure below) and move each task along as it progresses. You can also add a ‘Waiting’ column for future tasks (or, if urgent, allocate them to other people). Larger tasks can be broken down into manageable chunks. Ideally, finishing one task before completing another will become a habit. </p>



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<figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="482" height="252" src="https://isort-backend.s14staging.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/kan.png" alt="" class="wp-image-2774" srcset="https://isort-backend.s14staging.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/kan.png 482w, https://isort-backend.s14staging.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/kan-300x157.png 300w" sizes="(max-width: 482px) 100vw, 482px" /></figure></div>


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<p>For more information, see <a href="http://personalkanban.com/pk/">here</a>. Kanban boards can also be set up online, see <a href="https://kanbantool.com/free-kanban-board">here</a>.<br></p>


Using Kanban


<p>Preparing for supervision or reflective conversations is essential to ensure productive discussions. Here are some ways to help you prepare for such conversations:</p>



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<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>What has gone really well this week that I am pleased about?</li>
</ul>



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<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Where and how have I excelled? </li>
</ul>



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<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>What does this tell me about my strengths?</li>
</ul>



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<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>What is the impact of my practice on people who access services?</li>
</ul>



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<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>What have I found difficult in my practice? Where do these difficulties tend to recur?</li>
</ul>



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<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>What areas do I feel stuck with?</li>
</ul>



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<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>What am I learning about myself?</li>
</ul>



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<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>What are my feelings and emotional reactions to cases that I am currently working with? Am I anxious, fearful, or over-confident, or am I proud and satisfied?</li>
</ul>



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<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li> If I only had to tell my supervisor three things about my practice, what would they be?</li>
</ul>


Questions to ask in preparation for supervision or reflective conversations


<p>Reflective pause</p>



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<p><em><strong>How psychologically flexible am I in adapting to changing circumstances, managing stress, and embracing new perspectives?</strong></em></p>



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<p>Psychological flexibility is crucial for fostering resilience and a learning mindset in challenging working environments. It involves adjusting our mental resources and behaviours to adapt to changing situations. This adaptability enables us to balanceour competing needs and life domains while remaining committed to our goals and values. Research shows that health and social care practitioners who are more psychologically flexible are less vulnerable to work-related stress and burnout (<a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/occmed/kqz144" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Kinman et al., 2020</a><strong>; </strong><a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/jonm.13778" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jimenez-Fernandez et al., 2022</a>).</p>



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<p>Psychological flexibility also enhances creative problem-solving by encouraging us to think about tasks in innovative ways. By breaking habits and changing unproductive behaviours, we can not only reduce stress but also increase feelings of happiness and control. Small actions can disrupt routines and lead to behavioural changes, giving us the confidence to tackle new challenges. For example, simply having lunch in a different location can clear our mind and encourage reflection.</p>



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<p>By incorporating small changes into daily routines and reflecting on outcomes, we can break habits and encourage a more flexible outlook. Maintaining these changes can give us the confidence to take on new challenges. When choosing a new course of action in your personal life, remember that using a different skill set from the one you use at work can be particularly effective. This approach will help replenish your mental and physical resources. Some suggestions for change are:</p>



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<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Do a course on something unrelated to your work.</li>
</ul>



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<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Start a blog.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>



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<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Join a choir.</li>
</ul>



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<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Change the furniture around in your office or your home.</li>
</ul>



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<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Learn another language.</li>
</ul>



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<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Take up a new sport.</li>
</ul>



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<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Learn a musical instrument or create something artistic.</li>
</ul>



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<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Join a book club.</li>
</ul>



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<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Plant a garden.</li>
</ul>



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<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Write a short story or a poem.</li>
</ul>



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<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Learn a new craft.</li>
</ul>


Increasing psychological flexibility – doing something different

Implement visible, low or no-cost improvements that quickly enhance resilience at individual level.

Learning Mindset

Quick Wins

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