“What now? The Christmas break with my family was wonderful. Pure quality time. But not even a week back in the office and the good feeling has slipped away. The freshness is gone and everything feels like the same old rush again.”
Emma is a true no bullshit manager. She has no tolerance for empty clichés or comfortable illusions. So, I did not even consider offering the usual suggestions like adding buffer time to her schedule or prioritizing better. She knows all of that perfectly well.
I asked her how she had really refilled her energy during the holidays. She told me about long walks with her family along the wild coast of Wales and quiet moments with a cup of tea and an uninterrupted chapter of a book. She also mentioned the simple gift of a few extra hours of sleep which helped her shake off the fatigue.
What can you carry into everyday life from that. Honestly nothing she replied. She has to get up early. Walks with the family rarely happen because the kids are tied up in sports on weekends. And at the office she is lucky if there is time for a quick coffee. I get that I said. But my question is what you can take with you not what is impossible. She looked up and I knew she was listening. Together we found four ideas.
- A twenty-minute walk outside two or three times a week at lunch
- No news before noon since she usually overwhelms her mind with news and social media first thing in the morning
- Lunch without screens. If I eat then I eat
- Airplane mode from eight to nine in the evening with tea and a book
Three months later she wrote to me.
Ralph the hamster wheel is still spinning. The company is insane. But something has changed. The wheel still moves fast but not too fast. I have the energy to keep pace. I am not gasping behind it anymore.
Warmly
Ralph Hubacher
