Two articles captured my reading at lunch today… one was from Alexandra Samuel titled “Social Media in 2011: Six Choices You Need to Make” and the other was from Peter Bregman titled “The Best Way to Use the Last Five Minutes of Your Day”.
Now, I purposely look for connections between unrelated topics but this one was so obvious it cried out for a spanking.
First Alexandra got me thinking with her reminder that research shows that we need downtime to deliver the “ah ha” moments that can change the game. Her article articulates that our brains actually use the unplugged wander-moments to make uncommon connections that can easily be overlooked in our hurry-up-and-get-it-done VUCA world. As we use technology and social media to fill these gaps, our downtime moments disappear and we become “always on”. Think about it: you used to sit in line at the airport and your mind could wander; now you check your email. If you are engaged at all moments of the day, is your window for mind-wandering shrinking? Mine is!
Second, Peter Bregman builds on the “after action review” concept, but brings this to a daily format. His input is that at the end of each day, we should take five minutes to take stock of the day by asking these questions:
How did the day go? What success did I experience? What challenges did I endure?
- What did I learn today? About myself? About others? What do I plan to do — differently or the same — tomorrow?
- Who did I interact with? Anyone I need to update? Thank? Ask a question? Share feedback?
One fish-farmer I knew when I was growing up in Northern California used to end his day by asking himself “Am I better man today than I was yesterday?” With a daily ritual like that, it’s no wonder I found the guy inspiring and wise beyond his years. I bet he doesn’t have an issue unplugging.
Shawn Grubb
The Critiques