When one hasn’t blogged in a while, it’s like failing to write in one’s diary. It’s a loss of the continuous thinking that acted as a needed outlet and perhaps also as the connective tissue between ideas that span days, weeks, even years. So to restart necessarily requires first a new plan or idea or framework or process – or does it?
I think, given the amount of change not only personally but globally, that has occurred over the past three years means that something new is required – but what? I think the process to follow is the same as the design process I use for my business and which coincides with many books I’m currently reading. That is to say, we first start by thinking through the space. Typically, we are looking to solve a problem but perhaps we could also approach “the space” as less of a problem and more of a changing landscape. In defense, there is a common statement that it’s not that a certain set of strategies and tactics are broken or or poorly designed but rather, the operational environment has shifted, and in order to continue to be effective in that changing space, we have to evolve our ideas, tools, and actions. I think this is the best way to think about personal evolution as well: The world has shifted, literally, how might we want to shift as well to meet our needs in this new space?
For me, two things have happened that have had the biggest impact – and ironically, they are the same “thing”. With the ability to work from home has come enormous free time and autonomy in my day. This has made travel easier, my house cleaner, my time with my kids more robust, and generally speaking, I am less tired, in better shape, and more productive.
I am also bored and lonely.
So how do we capitalize on this new found freedom while managing the double-edged sword that it brings with it?
We embrace it! I used to say that if I had time for a hot bath once a week, I’d be happy. Now I can take them twice a day if I like. And as a long distance runner, this opportunity is gold for my muscles. But what else, what more can we do for ourselves that we couldn’t before? Perhaps, we can heal from the expectations that our worth is defined by the number of hours we work and instead realize that our ideas, creativity, and the solutions we can provide companies is where we better shine.
And as for the feelings of boredom, perhaps we need to reframe our definition of living, focusing more on experiences and less on achievement. To do that, we’ll need to re-think our priorities. What are your top 5 in this brave new world?
Images by Pitsch and Engin Akyurtfrom Pixabay