Back to back

I can’t be the only one. The only one who starts a meeting– online or in person – with a plaintive request for a moment to fetch a drink, take a quick 'bio-break' or to grab a mouthful of my lunch.

The nature of our work is increasing frenetic – and I am fortunate enough to work for a company that is still culturally more French than not. So, there is a healthy respect for taking the time to step outside into fresh air or to sit and take a break with a colleague versus grabbing something to eat on the run or at your desk.

But it is still far too common to find myself in back-to-back meetings, calls that move seamlessly from one to the next, with the ever-present emails crowding in. A day, a week can be lost to the rhythm of being busy – but not being effective.

We know this. We know that when we remove our capacity to take a breath, to pause, to think - then we cannot be either good employees or good leaders. We can’t give the creative energy, calm solutions or fresh ideas. Back-to-back meetings increase fatigue, damage our ability to communicate, damage cognitive ability and make us about as creative as a stone.

There is also increasing research that when we plough through meetings in a relentless stream our brain responds by shutting down the more creative, innovative parts of our thought processes – we disengage, and cling to well-trodden routines.? Under imaging, our brain looks as if it is drugged – the parts we need to solve problems, work well with others, come up with new ideas – they stay dark.

We have to start pushing back more, blocking out our time to focus, empowering our teams to say no – to challenge if we need that meeting, if we need everyone on that call, and making sure that we are clearer on outcomes every time we dial in.

The solution is in our own hands – the principles of setting boundaries, carving our time to think, to pause, to grab some post it notes and a big piece of paper (digital or physical) with your team (in person or virtually) – these are within our control.

Likewise taking the time to step out of the day to day and gain some inspiration or perspective is equally important. One of my past creative industry employers allowed each team member to take inspiration time as part of their overall benefit package. A set number of hours to be able to find inspiration where you wanted – at a gallery, taking a walk in the country, making new connections. It was designed to re-energize and fuel creativity – and it worked. What a joy.

When you are in the office or in person with your colleagues or teams, make the most of it by making connections, and working through solutions and ideas - together.? It sounds obvious, but a day spent in the office surrounded by colleagues but locked away solo in a small silent space is a day wasted. If you are working from home, apply the same discipline for focused work by blocking out the time to work on that big idea, to tear apart a proposal, to dig into a document and to just THINK.?

The rewards are huge – making time to invest, invent and most importantly – to imagine.

How do you recharge your creative batteries and what strategies have you found effective?