Time.
Managing it. Having more of it. The beauty of it. The art of using it properly. Time.
Ask any busy person, particularly those in our line of work, and they will tell you that they don’t have enough of it. My counter to that for myself, and my team, has always been to find ways to learn how to manage it effectively and efficiently. And most importantly, to make it count.
However, one thing that is rarely afforded to anyone who actively lives in our connected world is just having time. Pure and simple.
I have time here in Chicago. Time to think, time to listen, time to read, time to take notes and time to simply, observe. Time to be in a new place, time to enjoy new things and time to make the most of what I’m doing during the day and at night.
I came to Chicago with the hope of upping my strategy game — and already from what I’ve read, heard or spoken to people about, the ability to take time runs like a deep vein through any strategist.
This does not imply that strategists are lazy, nor does it imply that they work to no time-frames, but it focuses on the importance (if not always the ability) of removing oneself from a computer and taking the time to look up, to look at those around you — time to observe, ideate, reflect, and just be. Time to seek inspiration and insight from what people are doing around you, not what you’ve read or think they should be doing.
Trying to embrace this role, I am taking this time. I am doing things I would never do in Australia, like saying yes to a ticket to an electro-pop band on a Monday night; going swimming before dinner or walking around the block at lunchtime with no particular route or purpose. I am sitting in an art gallery to look at the people instead of scrutinizing the art and making my own Halloween costume with a colleague instead of buying it. I’m using what I have been given to centre myself and seek inspiration from — a very rare jewel — time.
#reflection #havaslofts #RedAgency #time
