3 Super Easy Ways to Bring Inclusivity into Your Life

Feeling excluded really stinks. That’s why it’s so often part of the story arc for high school cult-classic movies, and—on the positive side—one of the first lessons you learn as a kid. Exclude nobody and include everybody, always.

So why is that feeling of exclusion still so prevalent in our everyday lives?

At the office, on the field, and even with our own “friend groups.” In truth, it’s because inclusion can be exhausting—it’s human nature to be tribal, to stick to a group with similar interests, backgrounds, and temperaments simply because it is comfortable. Often, we don’t even realize we are not being inclusive of others, but that doesn’t mean it has to stay that way.

Here are three ways to implement a spirit of inclusivity in your everyday life!

1) Say Goodbye to Mobile Ordering

We get it, 12:30 rolls around and you are one click away from your go-to Sweetgreen Harvest Bowl. But what’s better than one Harvest Bowl? TWO!

Slack, email, or walk over to the coworker you don’t get to interact with much in the office and invite them to grab lunch. Everybody loves a good break and by including others in your daily routine you will open yourself up to more real personal connections (and maybe some new lunch spots) in your otherwise monotonous work day.

>Holiday season is around the corner! Let us plan your company's holiday party for you

>Top 5 activities to make your company party a hit

2) Join a league, club, or class – by yourself!

You know what’s crazy? Without meaning to, we sometimes leave ourselves out of opportunities and deprive ourselves of that feeling of inclusivity.

So, challenge yourself to join something new and make it a part of your weekly routine. Join a ZogSports league as a free agent – it is one of the easiest, most fun, and least awkward ways to meet people of all different backgrounds coming together for a common purpose. By making connections over a shared interest—winning, improving, and enjoying some healthy competition—you are pushing your boundaries beyond what’s comfortable. This will help YOU feel and be inclusive every single week!

3) Headphones in – Podcast on blast

Yup, that’s right. Being inclusive doesn’t always mean being the social butterfly... that would not only be exhausting, it would also be exclusive to introverts, who make up 25 to 40 percent of the population.

Practice inclusivity in your everyday life in small ways: While you get ready for work, during your commute, as you cook, and as a practice of self-care. Head over to the podcast or e-book app on your phone and pick a track out of your comfort zone and expand your horizon. Need help getting on the right track? Try out Brené Brown’s “Daring Greatly.”

What other ways can you be inclusive in your work and home life? Let us know in the comments.

And don’t forget to subscribe to the Zog Blog!