When less leads to more

After many months of intense activity, I recently found myself alone for the first time since the beginning of the pandemic. Finally, some “me” time! Don’t get me wrong – I love having a full house and the adrenaline that comes from my fast-paced life. But time to myself is a luxury.

It proved to be just what I needed. Not only was I able to catch up on my favorite TV shows but, more importantly, I was also able to relax and follow my own rhythm. This gave me space to think and reframe my perspective on life over the past year. The pandemic reminded me of the importance of resilience and strong relationships in my life, both personally and professionally. I want to share this with you in the hopes it might resonate and provide food for thought.  

Back to Basics

During this period, I watched a documentary on minimalism that showed how simplifying our lives makes room for what’s important. Its message of concentrating on the essentials – our physical and mental health, as well as relationships with loved ones – reflected the approach I had instinctively adopted to navigate through some of the craziness of the past year.

1. Creating space for what’s truly important

For me, connecting with others and building relationships are what I find most rewarding in my life. My passion for people is what led me to launch a wellness company (Oxygen) earlier in my career. Today, I find my “why” in being one of the leaders of a consulting firm because it’s all about the people. Building relationships with our clients, our shareholders, our communities and, of course, with colleagues is what matters most to me.

When the pandemic first hit, like you, my life got turned upside-down. Trying to remain organized at home with four kids while dealing with the global crisis at work was a challenge. After a few weeks, I realized that trying to control all the new challenges simultaneously was unrealistic. The turning point came when I had an open and honest conversation with my children. Everyone had their say on how to get organized and we started to work as a team. We each decided to focus on what was within our personal control. At their request, the kids took on more responsibilities and became accountable, which boosted their self-esteem and confidence.

As the pandemic went on, I also realized that I had lost the crucial transition moments between work and home that allowed me to unwind, reenergize and bring my whole self to the people around me. I also missed the richness of spontaneous conversations and… LAUGHTER. Remember that? Now, I make a point of finding moments in my schedule where I can take off for a short drive and call my friends (camera off!) to find out how they’re doing.

I also try to maintain my healthy habits: eating balanced meals, sleeping enough hours, and working physical activity into every day whether it’s a quick walk or a workout. I’m also giving meditation a try… but let’s just say that’s still a work in progress!

These are the basics of my well-being. They’re different for everyone but what matters is identifying them and giving them the attention they deserve. Everyone around you will benefit from it – from your family and friends to your colleagues.

2. Remembering what makes us resilient

For me, resilience comes from experience and a clear set of values. Although none of us has experienced a pandemic before, we’ve developed coping mechanisms from other challenges in our lives. At CGI, we thought about this quite a bit as a leadership team. We realized that our proximity model, our revenue mix by economic sector, and our range of services are all at the core of our resilience. In addition, our proven history combined with our company’s clear Dream, Vision, Mission and Values have allowed us to emerge from this situation so much stronger.

As a parent, I make a point of working on my children’s resilience and, consequently, that of my family unit too. To do so, I rely on a set of solid and clear principles. I believe that experience leads to confidence and strong values bring positive results.

The pandemic came with its fair share of challenges, but above all it brought me closer to my children and allowed me to be present in the moment with them. We had discussions that were more open, sincere and transparent than ever. I realize today that thanks to a better approach, we are now able to solve problems in a more inclusive and reassuring manner. Not to mention the fact that our household planning is a lot more agile.

Although we’re far from perfect, we’re evolving and moving forward amidst all of this by taking one problem at a time and remembering that we have the tools and experience to get through it.

Thanks to this short break and period of reflection, I realized that focusing on the “basics” gives us room to grow, become more self-aware and build resilience. These few days reminded me of the importance of the well-being of my two families, at home and at CGI, and of building strong, authentic relationships. 

To end with, after our in-depth family discussion led us to try a more minimalist approach, we all realized how beneficial it is. Let’s say it took a little longer for the kids to develop an appreciation for it, but despite our initial reluctance to “let things go,” we grew from the experience. I encourage you to experiment with it in your own way.

My wish for all of us going forward is that we take the time to stop and reflect on what matters most – pandemic or not!