A client recently asked me how to she can enjoy waking up and going to work when she knows that as soon as she can, she is going to move on to something new. One of the most difficult parts of making a career move is to avoid feeling like a lame duck at work once you have made the decision to leave.

Although planning a new move is inspirational, the more you plan the more you are distancing yourself from your current work. Your mind is focused on the possibilities the future holds, not the present. Your mind wants to justify the move by negatively judging the people you work with and the decisions the leaders make. You fixate on the worst aspects of your job. Everything bugs you. You are likely to feel too tired to work by midday.

On the other hand, you might also start second-guessing your choice to leave. When you worry, you are also focused on the future, not the present. You have to choose to feel connected each moment so your thoughts, your joy and your creativity don’t drift away with your daydreams.

You can plan for the future while still finding ways to benefit from today. Practice centering yourself in the present moment. At various times throughout the day, observe your stream of thinking and note what emotions you are feeling. Don’t judge yourself when you find your brain has wandered. Instead, acknowledge the rumblings of change going on in your mind and body. Then choose to return to the present because it is an important step on your journey.

Ask yourself, “What can I do to see my current job as building the platform for my leap to somewhere else? How is this moment going to help me in the future?” Your current job is still a laboratory for learning. Find the lesson today that will help make your life easier tomorrow.

To help you stay present, try changing your routines to force yourself to think about what you are doing instead of counting the minutes until you can go. If you have traveled to work every day on the same route, take another one. If you have a grooming routine for your hair and make-up, mix it up so you do things in a different order.

At work, start your day with a discussion on a current event instead of checking your email. Find people you never got to know well and see what you can discover about their lives. Miss a meeting. Attend someone else’s meeting. Practice conversations you may have in your next job. Study how your company makes its brand known which may spark ideas for yourself in your next position.

Above all, become an Explorer where you see each day as an adventure full of surprises to be discovered. What wonderful thing will happen today that will change the way you see the world? Practice these “tricks” and the time until your next adventure will fly by.

(Excerpt from Wander Woman: How High-Achieving Women find Contentment and Direction to be released June, 2010)