Workplace design: Who do you really want to be?

Did COVID-19 make you reconsider your working life?! Like, viscerally make you wonder why you do this thing (whatever your thing) every single day? How did you end up here? How did you get to the place that you’re at right now without even really thinking about it… what one-foot-in-front-of-the-other mentality got us here? Surely, given our time again, we would change some sh*t up? I love my work, actually, I am one of the lucky few who can say they work to live, it can be tricky sometimes, but I really enjoy my peeps so I genuinely consider myself lucky.

As we try to be agile in these times, sorry – the word is pivot – as we try to pivot in these times I have had many a conversation with my friends, my peers and my team about re-training. What better time? What do you really want to be? Not do, be?

The answer might be more complicated than you expected. Mine, for example, was more that I wanted to be more happy, more present, more dedicated, more connected… but I have had countless discussions with friends, my team at evolve design build and my peers about whether this should be a time of reflection and deep, deep change, and the answer is a resounding ‘yes’…. Take this opportunity. Grab this by the balls and make some change. Seriously consider starting that business (yes, now..), retraining to be whatever it is that floats your boat, partnering with a friend or someone who fits your work ethic.. consider it! BC’s government have offered funding for re-training due to the effect of COVID-19 in many forms.. check it out here.

If you know me, you know I’m a huge fan of Gallup Strengthsfinder. One of my children did this at the hands of a very forward thinking school principal at 10 years old. It changed my outlook on people, in and outside of the workplace. It was the catalyst to my Masters in Industrial Organisational Psychology. It meant so much to me.. It’s all about our top 5 strengths. No one cares about your ‘perceived weaknesses’. No one cares. This is about understanding we are all different, we all bring different things to the table. We all have amazing strengths that set us apart from our teammates and that is a good thing!

I’ve taken some risks in business, some that I will ponder for years to come, some that were obviously right from the start, all have been positive. You need to believe in yourself. Do the work, do the research, understand your market – or re-train for a whole new life, however young or old you are, you have time. You can do this.

In love and light – Jules…

Missed the last column?

Galloway: No ‘effing’ beige