The Structure of Life
Structure: we all strive for it. For me, it’s very simple.Wake up
Snack
Make a cup of coffee (by “make”, run to Starbucks and pretend I’ve done something important)
Snack
Listen to The Daily on Spotify
Snack
Prep for work meetings
Snack
Work
Snack
YouTube and Dinner
Snack
Bedtime
Repeat
This has been my life since the start of the pandemic and I really have it down! I live in this structure, and I absolutely love it. Immediately, I break out in a cold sweat when I think about my day being interrupted. “Ugh, I’m stressed because I have to run to the store for something that was not planned. However will I cope”. Dramatic? Yes. But necessary for this POV? Also yes. We thrive (typically) off of this structured approach. But when does structure become a point of contention? Let me give you an example.
Currently, I’m working from home. I have my routine (clearly) that’s been working for me a great deal. However, a meeting gets moved and I have to now restructure my day. Also, I have to run errands due to some last minute inconveniences that pop up. I’m not forced to restructure my day to make things work more efficiently for me. Now, of course, this restructuring is, in and of itself, a new structure. But as many of us have seen with the pandemic, structure is constantly being redefined almost weekly, sometimes daily.
And it’s this restructuring that has caused us to rethink work/life balance, and work balance in general. Life is more unpredictable than ever. Work and play have combined to leave us with no clear lines of delineation, making it more and more difficult to turn off and turn on. I find myself working in the morning, afternoons, and evenings, all while trying to balance a virtual social life, maintain self care, make time to workout, “eat right”, and get 8 hours of sleep a night (laughable), but I try.
What does this really all mean? Simply, we all live on things that make us the most comfortable. But COVID has proven, nothing is really certain. Yes, things feel a little more “normal”, but we’re still getting it together. So why lead such a structured life when “structure” has really gone out the window? We’re constantly having to adapt and change, so why not bring that into our day-to-day life? The more we start to change and adapt, the more effective we become at living a less structured, more thoughtful life. You remember the saying, “practice makes perfect”, right? The more we practice this flexible living, the more ready we are to change when needed.
At katch, we believe in change. We recognize that life is no longer as rigid as we’ve made it out to be. And as work and life continue to blend and change, and grow and evolve, we’re working to do the same.
Interested in continuing the conversation? Reach out to me at Ale@gokatch.com.
