Tuesday 14 July 2009

work and play

I started this week knowing it would involve more effort on the work front. Even though I had done some at Bryon Bay, the load was always going to get heavier this week.  The whole yurting thing will only be possible of I fgure out how to work meaningfully while being based away from Melbourne.

Realistically I am unable to do anything on operational customer facing projects. But if this is going to be sustainable then I've got to work out how to keep up my contribution while away. This is a non-trivial challenge because I have not historically done well in mixing work and beach life. There have been a couple of times when 'innocently' checking emails has cost me days of emotional relaxation in the past.

So the attitude always had to be different. It is early days but I am learning the following:

1. I cannot afford to see work as an intrusion when yurting. The choice is between working in my shorts and T-shirt in Yurty, overlooking the beach or the collar and office option, rather than a choice between being with Maria and Johanna meandering the shops and working ... if that makes sense.

2. Work matters, in fact some of the projects I am involved with are really important ones. But they are less important than it sometimes feels and seems when in the middle of them. Life matters. Spiritual, emotional and physical health are fundamental.

3. Turning on and off - being 100% engaged with the activity of the present (not wondering about another) is a fundamental skill in being able to mix work and yurting. I'm much better at this than I used to be, but still learning.

4. Taking in the beauty of the moment is a discipline. Work life teaches me to always think about the outcome, to be obsessed with the next thing, wondering about what is next. Yurting is about being, not so much about doing.

I've got L plates on ... more to come.