In the course of our socialization period, even in organizations, we are constantly being told how important the team is, how essential collaboration is, how crucial the needs of the company or organization are, and that we must always adapt and change. In everyday life, too, it is increasingly the case that all is (or at least seems to be) equally important. Appointment entries in electronic calendars now include even the smallest minute. There are not even time buffers between appointments, because we are virtually available all the time.
Do you have time during the day to ask yourself the question: What is really important for me (right now)?
We ask this question every now and then when we notice that people seem to be caught up in the system. Then almost always comes a puzzled look, questioning, in the sense of, “What do you mean?” Then you notice the reflection, but somehow something is still blocking in the respondent’s system. Something along the lines of, “I can’t do this anyway, I have to fulfill my obligations.”
Now the following can happen: The interviewee ponders over it, takes his or her time, and then a very unusual thought shoots into the person’s mind. For example, then comes, “…I should go home now, to mow the lawn in the garden.”
This sounds pretty crazy to the person at first. The calendar is full of face-to-face and online appointments. Then, of course, come the arguments as to why it wouldn’t work with mowing the lawn.
We report here on a real case: After an intensive illumination and discussion with this person, she found the courage to dare this really next important step. When looking through the calendars for this new task, it was also noticeable that this person did not really have to be present at any of the appointments or that one appointment could also be postponed.
This person, who could also be you, went home that day after some reorganization and reprioritization. She mowed the lawn…
…the next day, we as change managers learned from this person that mowing the lawn in the middle of the actual hectic time was almost like a mantra of inner reflection. At the end of this process, this person sat down on a chair at home and suddenly an important thought came to her mind, which, as it turned out later, brought a significant improvement in the reorganization of an important process in the company.
Significant changes are not always immediately associated with this approach of “What is really important to me?”. In the first step, you manage to take yourself out of the hectic and pressure to empty the inner glass again in a productive retreat and make room for something new. Just give it a try!
Foto:
©Studio Romantic