When you’re not fully engaged, your efforts are scattered. You don’t do your best; which hurts you, your family, your employer, your colleagues and your clients. Your personal and work lives suffer. You’re not using your talents to their fullest. You’re wasting time and are unproductive. You aren’t making a difference. In short, you’re sabotaging your life.

We all have days when we don’t run at full speed. However, if you’re habitually disengaged you need to find ways to snap out of it.

Your Personal Engagement Quiz

Here are some statements to test whether you are really engaged in life or not. Put a circle around whichever word applies – True, False or Not Sure

  1. I am dissatisfied with my life, and I haven’t done anything concrete to resolve it. True False Not Sure
  2. I tend to complain, put the blame on others or have a cynical attitude. True False Not Sure
  3. At work, I have one foot out the door, keeping my options open, but never acting on them. True False Not Sure
  4. I jump from task to task without really completing anything or making a difference. True False Not Sure
  5. My performance at work and at home just meets expectations, or worse. True False Not Sure
  6. My mind wanders during my workday, and I have trouble focusing and delivering on projects and responsibilities. True False Not Sure
  7. I feel outdone or outclassed by colleagues or friends when I’m discussing work-related things. I don’t have a lot to say. True False Not Sure
  8. My personal image is weak, sloppy or lacking direction. True False Not Sure
  9. I don’t have a plan as to what my next steps are from now, going forward. True False Not Sure
Change and Engage

If you answered True to one or more of the statements above, take some immediate steps to get engaged:

  • Change your attitude. A reality-check can do wonders in changing behavior.
  • Throw yourself into everything you take on. Do your best. Immerse yourself and see what happens.
  • Identify what motivates you and see if you can inject more of those motivations into what you do.
  • Find the good in your situation. When you must do something that you don’t like or want to do, ask yourself what good can come of it. What are all the aspects of your life that are positive? Be grateful for what you have.
  • Focus on how you can be successful in the current environment.