Quick notes to help you grow your business in less time with less effort. . . starting next week.
In this issue:
- Thoughts on Relaxing
- Being Human
- Random Stuff
Thoughts on Relaxing
- The stories we tell ourselves are important. A daughter's friend is between jobs right now. He calls it being "funemployed." I like his attitude.
- A 20-second hug decreases stress. A hug from a loved one works best, but one from stranger is better than nothing.
- Finding relaxation outside of work by doing other work seems to be in our nature. Hobbies and hugs to relax.
- Sleep is relaxing. Might as well schedule it.
Being Human - Relax to do more
“Our minds must relax: they will rise better and keener after a rest. Just as you must not force fertile farmland, as uninterrupted productivity will soon exhaust it, so constant effort will sap our mental vigour, while a short period of rest and relaxation will restore our powers. Unremitting effort leads to a kind of mental dullness and lethargy."
– Seneca
Maximizing results is a regular theme in conversations with clients. As my old Mad Gringo story went, "The push for more and more." but getting "The feeling of less and less." isn't new. Nor is the role of consultants pitching ideas on how to help you get the max from your people. The guy who might be the first time management guru, Frederick Winslow Taylor, is worth considering.
Taylor was an engineer hired by Bethlehem Steel Works, in 1898, to improve the firm’s efficiency.
The idea of efficiency Taylor pitched to Bethlehem Steel was part of the industrial revolution. If machines made us more productive, why not treat humans like machines? Taylor was a popular lecturer on the topic, and by the early 1900s, ‘efficiency’ was everywhere. Everyone wanted to maximize efficiency.
It's easy to see why he was popular. "Do more in less time and do it cheaper and better." Nothing wrong there.
Here's the thing about Taylor: there was no evidence this approach worked with humans. Bethlehem Steel fired him in 1901 because his ideas had no measurable impact on productivity. The only thing he demonstrated was that workers initially showed promising results, but over time were too exhausted to be consistent.
If we push too hard for too long, our results suffer. The opposite is doesn't work either: if you don't put in effort, you don't get results. Take a look at my old FIT graphic. To stay optimized and energized, aim for the middle zone. Apply your self-identified strengths to work and take time off, away from work. Sounds easy, but it takes focused effort.
Have a clear destination in mind, put in the minimum controls as needed, and apply self-identified strengths to tasks.
Simple, but not easy.
Random Stuff
“The function of ritual, as I understand it, is to give form to human life, not in the way of a mere surface arrangement, but in depth.” — Joseph Campbell
We're at a family event this weekend. The marriage of our niece. A celebration of their starting a life together. As family and friends have trickled in this week, there are a healthy number of hugs, laughs, and stories with more to come.
Each night, as I've drifted off to dreamland, I replay the stories. So many stories. It's easily my favorite part of these gatherings. Stories I've heard hundreds of times, updates on old ones, and plenty of new ones. Some told well, some without a discernible point, and some that never get finished as a new one starts.
Weddings and funerals share this storytelling feature. Elaborate rituals that give our lives meaning. We wear costumes, follow a script, and get more out of the interactions than we expect. I'm excited to do my part this weekend.
Blessings to the young couple.
(and if you're wondering, Wilson is proud of me. I dropped enough weight to get into the skinnier suit. A week of cheese curds and beer is threatening my work, but at this point nothing is stopping me from being costumed and ready to celebrate!)
