P2P No. 50 — The opportunity of working from unusual places
Let your mind roam freely even when you are physically stuck
As I write these lines, my love of travelling by train got a big hit: the infrastructure around Munich broke down, and I am stuck in Vienna1. It could have been much worse: I am with friends and get the chance to visit the Christmas market. But this is not why I am bothering you with these details.
It is about the change of the environment and how to make use of it. In How to Change, Katy Milkman argues how perceived milestones (think New Year's resolutions) imply more attitude towards change. This is also true for changes of our working environments. Many famous artists and scientists created a space where they could focus deeply.
This is why I am in the office most days: office = work; home = no work. The caveat is that when I travel, I lose the priming effect of my trusted office. First, I felt lost about being unable to work effectively during business trips.
I realized that I can flip the script. By using travel to explore things I always wanted but never did, the bug of not following your habits becomes a feature.
For example, I am using travel time to face my growing list of unread papers and to pick up a book I abandoned months ago. I am always fascinated by how many long-forgotten but interesting things I find. Thus, even when things turn out to be unexpected, I can find joy in the circumstances.
Change is inevitable, so holding tight to the tried-and-true cannot always be optimal. My cosy office is great for the brunt of the work. But it is false to expect that all environments are suitable for the same type of work. When things change, use the opportunity to explore something new by asking:
What task is your current environment suitable for?
Think about
Are your circumstances (temporarily) changing? What could you do in that time you always planned but have not started?
Dig Deeper
P2P No. 48 — Mastering Change in Academia with Brad Stulberg
Master of Change, the new book by Brad Stulberg from The Growth Equation, was clearly the best one I read in September. As I thought about the inherent change in academia, I got more questions than answers. Luckily, I got the opportunity to interview Brad. Enjoy!
P2P No. 23 — Leverage Fresh Starts for Change
In her book, How to Change, Katy Milkman provides evidence of how meaningful life events, called fresh starts, are more attractive to people to kick-start a pursuit. This can be your birthday or New Year's Eve. In the chaos of a Ph.D., there will be ample occasions when life interferes with our daily routines. Instead of treating those events as annoyan…
P2P No. 32 — Flexible habits are the best
I became a morning person in recent years; this is when I take care of the tasks that require the most effort. But I cannot make this happen always; I need to be flexible. Not being able to stick to your habit can feel devastating (what about my streak?). If you want to avoid being hunted in your dreams by the green owl of Duolingo, this advice might be…
Who has expected snow in December?