The Simple Life?

The definition of simplify is, “to make something simpler or easier to do or understand”. Is the key to growth going back to basic and simplifying for both our employees and our customers. Will we as individuals also benefit. Could an “easier” lifestyle make and work process be an improvement?

In a world with ever advancing technology, can relying on or building our world around it actually be detrimental to our physical and mental wellbeing and therefore also have a negative effect on our performance at work. Can it also be said that using the latest technology at work will always simplify our working practices and increase efficiency?

During the lock downs I must admit that technology really did save the day. It allowed us, like many others, to continue to work using online meetings and processes. However, it also made us as a family go outside together for our small, allocated amount of exercise to get fresh air and avoid cabin fever. Whether it was home schooling three children and trying to get the best out of them, to our support for them as parents, to our performance as company directors, there was no denying the benefit of the short break in work and changing our surroundings. It made us really appreciate the freedoms we had previously taken for granted. So, the question is have I learnt the lesson from this, or have I reverted back to old habits? Are the lunch breaks slowly reducing and sometimes disappearing again? The truth is until the day of writing this article I believe I am guilty of slowly forgetting the lessons I promised myself I would learn from the experience.

The cliché phrase of “work life balance” isn’t actually what I am referring to – although this was an element of my lockdown learnings. What I am looking at now are my personal working practices. For example I came across a great new podcast that I wanted to listen to but straight away my default response to the desire was questioning when I would fit it in? Maybe lying in bed before I fall asleep I could listen? Maybe in the car taking the kids to an activity in the evenings? No! No! No! Although the podcast was not specific to my work it was about mindset so absolutely totally relevant. My thoughts then moved to whether my working days output and performance would actually improve if I made listening to the podcast part of my job?

The truth is that as somebody who continues to work mainly at home I felt that sitting at my desk or in my home listening I would get distracted and drawn back to other tasks. Then what’s the alternative? Walk. I will walk and listen no matter what the weather. But the real revelation – I will not feel guilty about taking the 20 minutes to do this. I will not treat this as a low priority activity that can be cancelled or moved.

Let’s go back to my original question – is this simple action of listening to something whilst taking a short walk going to aid our business? Is the route to success to strip back to the very basic core of what is good for us?

It is very easy to over complicate our daily lives – not just at work but also at home. We over commit. Don’t say no to something when we really should. Put extra pressure on ourselves to be all things to all people. Never ask for help when we could really do with it.

During a challenging economic climate I believe we could all benefit from looking at simplifying our business. At the very core of the business, back in the days when the company was first formed, what were the things that were done that allowed your business to grow? I was discussing this with the managing director of a company I have worked alongside for many years. His response was that the majority of their days were spent actually talking to people on the phone. At the grass roots level of his sales business it was all about talking to people and building relationships. During the periods of rapid growth and huge success their company had morphed into a more order taking structure flying high off of reputation and many years of previous phone time. However, with many companies letting staff go and businesses struggling this was no longer proving so successful. The reactive model was not delivering the same results of the previous five years.  What was his response to seeing this? “Let’s go to what worked originally.” Now his proactive sales teams are talking as was done before – either on the phone or via online meetings. The team are happy as the target and process are very simple and expectations clear. Most importantly the company figures are showing the growth returning.

I will now finish the article, before I go for the 20 minutes I need to focus my mind on my walk, with the following questions to which I don’t actually have the answer. Maybe I will just continue to revisit these questions to keep myself in check?

Is less actually more? Is simpler actually easier?

Do employees perform better with less complex expectations and targets?

Do we give our employees the opportunity to work in the way that brings out the best in them?

Am I actually a better company director when I  apply the principles of self-care to myself?

Have I truly learnt the “lockdown lessons”?

Can I maintain a healthy balance between using technology to simplify my life and working practices whilst also disconnect from technology to simplify life and working practice?

If only there was a simple answer ………………………………………