My son is 9 years old. One morning not so long ago he asked, “Why do I have to go to school before the sun comes up?” He loves school, but he only hits his stride from noon to 7 p.m. I remember feeling the same as a child, but at some point I stopped questioning why and just fell into the routine of getting up before I was ready.
I couldn't change my son's school policy, but his question made me question the status quo and even put work in a new perspective:as an entrepreneur, I could change my team's working environment. I instituted a policy of full time flexibility as long as employees didn't have urgent meetings and did their jobs. My team was much happier as a result, all because my child questioned how the world works and I took his question to heart. Here's how I changed the way I worked based on his observation:
I made my communication intentional.
If there's one thing I know about children, it's that they're great at asking, "Why?" Why do we get our children out of bed before sunrise? Why do we follow the expected routine of society? Why do we just go with it, never worrying about changing it? My son's question sparked a lot more "whys" for me. I stopped and wondered why my team had to be in the office at 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., and found no answer other than, “Because that’s how business is.”
As a parent, I had to consciously find ways to communicate with my child so that he understood me, especially when he asked difficult questions. But I've become a lot more intentional about how I communicate with the adults in my life, too. When I deal with the rest of the world, be it friends, family members or colleagues, it's easier to get frustrated when someone doesn't understand me. Now I stop to wonder why I'm frustrated. And I think that's partly because we're not as attentive as we should be when it comes to general communication.
Now, I'm definitely not suggesting you talk to fellow adults like if they were children. Talking to people of any age is disrespectful. But talking about the problems, the solutions, and the “why” behind it all with the patience and respect you give a child could foster understanding and create closer bonds. Just imagine what you could do if you took the time to listen carefully to other people's thoughts and ideas rather than dismissing them with a short sentence. The possibilities are enormous.
I broke my strict routine.
Last time I checked, we are the masters of our own destiny, right? It may be time to remember this fact and make small changes however we can. We all know the saying, "Be the change you wish to see in the world." » Even if you make a change that isn't dramatic – like having breakfast at home instead of on the road, taking a mid-morning coffee break, or moving to a communal workspace at the end of the day - you can always change the way you view your daily routine.
As my son asked me why he had to wake up before he was well rested, I wondered what I could do if I took charge my routine. I stopped following the herd that migrates to offices and apartment towers every morning during rush hour, and I allowed my employees to do the same. I work better at night and have now embraced that fact.
There are some things we can't change, and that's okay. This article will not suddenly change the mind of every CEO or make flexible scheduling the norm around the world. But if you can take control of your own routine, you can make a big difference in your world. You might improve your work-life balance, you might be more productive, and you might even start finding solutions before problems arise. Use your free time to work towards something you want to do, not something you have to do.
I made time for myself.
Like I said, my son loves school . But he also needs sleep. I get it. One thing I need the most is some time to myself in the gym. When I started working in an office, I have to admit that I stopped going to the gym as often as I wanted. But I realized that I couldn't be at my best if I didn't take care of myself. So even though it sometimes seems like a selfish decision, I make sure to step away from my desk and hit the gym regularly.
Even if you only spend 30 minutes a day doing something you love, I bet you will notice a difference. Considering that in a recent study, 43% of participants said that their work had a negative impact on their stress levels, it is clear that it is important to take care of our mental and physical health by engaging in activities that relieve stress. Try going for a walk, shooting hoops with co-workers, or reading for fun.
At first, you might feel like the pressure to complete tasks on time and meet company expectations makes time for you impossible. But I can't stress enough that the time you spend focusing on yourself is truly productive. I use my time to clear my mind, find my center and refocus on what matters. If you do the same, I bet you'll find the people you work with – and those you live with – see a better version of you.
My son may only be 9, but in When it comes to the wisdom of work-life balance, I think age is just a number. He inspired me to make changes to the way I work, and I bet the tips I gleaned from his simple question could help you work better too.
