Re-Write Your Re-Entry - Part II
Another way to think about re-writing your re-entry is to consider how to structure your work and your time.
The modern view of time is a construct, just like so many elements of our world. And those views of time can often shackle us to unproductive ways of being and living our lives. Do we need to work 9 to 5, 5 days a week? Do we need to work 50+ weeks a year in the U.S. Is busy-ness the way to get ahead, or is it the pathway to ill health.
What if we were to look at time another way? I’m re-reading one of my favorite books, “Einstein’s Dreams,” by Alan Lightman. It’s a clever and fascinating examination of views on time (e.g., what if time went backwards, what if we experienced time at different paces, what if time existed only in the present). What if we were to challenge ourselves to see time differently (e.g., this is an event I should speed up, this is an event where we need to slow it down, this is a time to pause, this is a time to invest in the quality of the time rather than the quantity)?
One place to start is to track where your time goes. Here I offer a practice in time tracking. It’s not something you have to do forever, but gaining information about where your time goes is power. Tracking your time can help you get a better handle on what’s capturing your attention and whether or not you are spending time aligned to your priorities and values and what’s important to you.
I also want to highlight my conversation with Mala Singh, Chief People Officer of Electronic Arts in Episode #15 of The Sustainable Ambition podcast. I had the pleasure of working with Mala at Minted when she was CPO there, and what I appreciate about what Mala shares in this conversation is the importance of defining success, your career path, and your personal and professional life structure on your terms. For example, Mala is another guest who echoes my hate of the term “work-life balance.” Mala shares how she has structured her life and defined balance on her own terms.
So as we re-enter, I’d challenge you to think about both how you can structure your work differently and your time to work better for you and to bring more ease to your life. Consider these prompts:
What’s a way to restructure your work and life to make it work better for you this month and beyond?
Is there a way for you to look at time differently to bring more ease to your life over the summer and beyond?
I’d love to know if there are specific areas around this topic that are a challenge for you. If you’re willing to share, drop me a line here, and I’ll share in an upcoming newsletter and/or podcast episode thoughts on how to address the challenges.
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