Many people search for ways to make change easier at work or in life. The truth is, shifting mindsets is not as simple as most productivity advice makes it sound. Just like healing from an injury, it requires patience, persistence, and a willingness to rewire habits that have been on autopilot for years. My own experience with a broken foot reminded me how challenging it is to change—even in the smallest routines.

A Broken Foot as a Lesson in Shifting Mindsets

When I fractured a bone in my foot, everyday activities suddenly became exhausting. Something as basic as showering turned into a slow, intentional process because my brain had to build a new pathway for an old habit. This is a perfect example of neuroplasticity—the brain’s ability to adapt. But adaptation comes at a cost: moving slower, thinking harder, and resisting frustration. In the same way, shifting your mindset at work means interrupting your default patterns and creating new ones, which feels uncomfortable at first.

Why Work Habits Require Mindset Shifts

At work, many of us fall into familiar patterns—multitasking in meetings, letting our calendars dictate our priorities, or constantly reacting to small emergencies. These habits feel automatic, but they drain focus and energy. Shifting mindsets means questioning those defaults: choosing meetings with intention, running them with purpose, and recognizing that task-switching is not productivity but a costly distraction. This shift is not only about personal efficiency; it’s also about respecting collective time, since wasted minutes in one meeting ripple across an entire team.

Building New Habits Through Shifting Mindsets

The hardest part of shifting mindsets is sticking with it long enough to form new habits. Like learning to shower differently with a broken foot, the process feels awkward and slow at first. But with practice—and with support from colleagues who value the same change—it becomes second nature. The reward is worth the effort: more control over your workday, less wasted energy, and a stronger sense of purpose. In short, change is hard, but shifting your mindset is the first step toward making work more intentional and meaningful.