There was an article in the Harvard Business Review written by Teresa Amabile and Steven J. Kramer years ago called “The Power of Small Wins”.
A finding in the research was this:
“Of all the things that can boost emotions, motivation, and perceptions during a workday, the single most important is making progress in meaningful work. And the more frequently people experience that sense of progress, the more likely they are to be creatively productive in the long run.”
Harvard Business Review – The Power of Small Wins
My Perspective
As I read the article, I thought about how we can often forget to acknowledge progress.
We have so many things filling our days and sometimes feel like we are endlessly overwhelmed.
When we are in this state, stopping to recognize the progress we’ve made isn’t top of mind.
Getting recognition at work for the progress of our projects is great.
Yet, it doesn’t tend to happen except at significant milestones.
This article reminded me that we don’t need to wait for others to acknowledge our progress.
Setting aside even 5 minutes at the end of a week can be a great time to note what has been accomplished throughout the week.
We can start to see movement toward that larger goal and be proud of the work we are doing.
I was also drawn to the phrase “creatively productive” in the quote.
Not just productive, but creatively productive.
Productivity is often all about time.
Here, they have expanded the definition to higher levels of creativity.
I see a future post….maybe even tomorrow….diving into the idea of being creatively productive.
Your Turn
Do you stop to acknowledge the small wins of your work?
Are you sometimes overwhelmed and feeling like your work isn’t progressing forward?
Would a bit of reflection time each week help you feel that progress and meaning in your work?