Years ago, I engaged in a coaching program where one of the requirements was to separate completely from the business one week per quarter.
The idea was to take a time out to discover what wasn’t working and make course corrections. It was highly instructive, although at the time, pretty painful. I had to force myself to shut down emails, to not call in and to forget about what was going on at the office. They were anxiety-ridden weeks, but the results from my “quarantine” were amazing.
During this current period of social distancing and separation from routine, I’ve noted the following:
- I like my routine and miss it.
- I have struggled emotionally with social isolation.
- I have forced myself to do things I don’t normally do (like assemble rowers and plant gardens).
- Writing outside of my normal place and times has created blocks and inefficiency.
- My sense of humor feels suppressed.
- Zoom cocktails are less satisfying than face-to-face.
- Accessing my creativity is more of a struggle.
In Chapter X, your previous routines get stripped away, sometimes in the blink of an eye. Your interactions with others may change dramatically and you might be left with a blank page instead of a full calendar.
Learning and change can be painful. But the process bears fruit with a stubborn, concerted, focused and determined effort to grow beyond current circumstances.
The outcomes are continued self-knowledge and growth.
It seems like a fair exchange.
Let me know what you’ve noticed.
Cheers,
Michael
