Thought for today:
‘It is the small things in life which count; it is the inconsequential leak which empties the biggest reservoir.’
— Charles Comiskey
#thoughtfortoday #smallthings #change #drain #benefit #noticing
I was due to meet a friend in London today, we’ve settled for a Zoom call instead.
This is pragmatic, travelling to meet her will take 2 1/2 hours round trip – plus the time we spend together. I can probably avoid the Underground but will still travel on a train, mingle with lots of people, and take a small risk of exposure to Omicron.
So, Zoom it is.
This made me notice changes in the past two years, little things as well as big ones. Here is a random list of five things:
1. Tissues. I used to buy multipacks of pockets tissues because I did my work face to face, and they were the “tools of the trade”. I cannot provide them on Zoom but they are needed just as much.
2. Travel. Most of my clients two years ago were in the UK, with about half of them in London, so I travelled there two or three days a week. Now I have clients on four continents and one in London. My car has gone from 8,000 miles a year to less than 2,000.
3. Socialisation. I simply do not get out and meet friends very often anymore. I do meet friends online but rarely face to face. I miss this. I still run a virtual pub that has opened every Thursday for two years and still does.
4. Ergonomics. I spend about 3-4 hours a day with clients online. Some of that is facilitating workshops & training. Having a comfortable desk set up, with good lighting and a pukka microphone for Zoom has become much more important. A comfy seat is very important.
5. Flow. Not just my own ability to invoke a flow state, I have experienced it with teams online, something I found very surprising, and rewarding. Things that people told me wouldn’t work online, do work.
You will note that these are just changes. Some are for the better. Some benefit other people more than me. This is not a lament; it is a noticing.
What would be on your list?
