It was so great to be at FIBO in Florida this past week! I had the opportunity to share on a topic very important to me, lifestyle design. While my own version of this is carefully crafted on a daily basis and always a work in progress, sharing what Ive learned along the way was a huge opportunity.
Check out the slides and reach out if you have questions.
Cheers!
Lindsey
Lindsey Rainwater, Photo taken by From the HIp Phtoto, March 2017
Tony Robbins and others talk about ideas like "integration" instead of balance, for people like myself that are deeply passionate about their work and friendships, then it becomes less about choosing and more about integrating. I often hear people say, "I don't act that way at work" or "in my personal life", statements like this rattle me! It is impossible to fragment yourself in that way. Sure, we can all perform certain tasks or deliver on objectives but who we are all bleeds together, you are a whole person everywhere you go and if "part of you" is not at the party, well, everyone including you is suffering. As I like to say, "who you are at the kitchen table is who you are at work"... my kitchen table is about to be set for 3, and I am anticipating the adventure of how that will propel me to be even better and have more to offer in every area of my life.
The above quote is from my last article "the Context of Integration" if you missed it, check it out to inform my context for this blog... see how I did that? :) My intention is to focus this blog post on all things integration, now that we have some context around why I am talking about integration on a whole new level, let's chat about how the future of work "mentality" can inform a schedule or ideals for living.
Now as a disclaimer, I am writing on these topics and speculating amidst my journey being pregnant, nothing I share has been vetted by myself as a parent, yet. So I am sure those of you that are parents already have informed opinions about what I am writing about based on experiences you've had, so please join in the conversation! It will be really great to see if my intentions and ideals line up with reality, only time will tell ;-)
Back to "The future of work" idea... what is this concept all about anyway? It certainly is a heavy buzz phrase being used and I do have my own opinion on the topic and there is of course always also what google has to say.
The Future of work is a lot of things to a lot of people based on their motivation and topic they are relating it to, and, for the purpose of our discussion lets keep it simple; if you distill down the concepts it boils down to what is possible relating to work, because of technology. For instance, growing up, my Dad was an Engineer, he "went to work" everyday, to an office where his computer and the people he collaborated with also went, to do his job, returning home each evening leaving all the things required to "do his job", there at the office. Now, if my Dad did that exact same job today, he could work 100% remote, from anywhere in the world. Thanks to laptops, iPhones, and video conferencing a role like his could be done completely outside of the construct of a company occupying an office space etc.
With that flexibility all sorts of freedoms become available, he could have easily taken a lunch break at home, taken a 30 minute break to do the afternoon carpool pick up, and really allowed for a completely different co-parenting arrangement than what I grew up with. My Mom would have had the flexibility during the day having him home, and arguably, he would have gotten the same (if not more) work done with less the typical office distractions. The idea of co-parenting becomes more liberated when you add in "future of work" concepts because lines are blurred, it is no longer a linear process of "we all leave the house, we all come back to the house" but instead, the home becomes a hub and off site offices or daycare becomes less necessary.
An important note to add here is that remote work requires many upstanding character traits both for the employee and the employer. I am not saying this transition from office to home can happen over night, however with the right culture and values in place, anything is possible when seen through the lens of abundance. The good news is if the organization and it's employees can take on the venture, the concept of the future of work can really liberate our existing "jobs" and create new dynamics that disrupt the old styles and models of work.
One of my favorite ideas that is found inside of this same notion is that of "jobs" no longer existing and instead collaboration or aligned talent becomes the new way. Think freelancing, but at signifiant scale. However, that is another blog for another time, coming back to the topic... what is most important here is the idea that IF we are working in collaboration, with location freedom, the opportunities to get extremely creative with integration becomes completely available to anyone that wants to try it out.
In 2011 my mentor and friend, Bryan O'Rourke suggested I read a book called the 4 hour work week, I did and now I am going to suggest that you, go read that book if have not before! That book planted a very important idea in my mind that has since collided with other similar ideas and helped inform many of my day to day decisions. I realized after reading that book that my choices, what I as spending time on, was completely up to me, and my evaluation of how I did certain activities was also, up to me. I (nor anyone else) is at "the effect" of any choices, you at some point, made a choice that is contributing to what is your current reality. So if you are doing something and want to be doing something else, make a new choice. For instance, would you rather spend an extra two hours per weekend with your spouse instead of cleaning your house, well, outsource that chore to a person that likes cleaning and pay them to clean your house, get that time back. Feel like you can't afford that? How much did you spend at Amazon or at Starbucks today? The money is usually there if you look for it. That is one example, but I really started asking myself questions about my time, where I spent it, was it really creating the results I wanted and how could I change if it wasn't?
A good place to start would be to take an inventory of what you are currently spending time on. Just like analyzing your bank account transactions to assess where your money is going, assessing what you spend time in is a very similar activity. Are you committed to suffering or thriving? wasting time or creating time? All of these choices are yours for the taking.
A good way to do this is print out a by the hour calendar, or use a digital daily view and write in each day, then for the week what you are doing and for how long, don't lie, you will only cheat yourself if you do. Once you have done this "reverse" calendaring of sorts, start to look at what you spend time doing and for how long, create groups, rank them, include sleep, tv time, time with loved ones, gym activities... record everything you do... how long does it take you to get ready in the morning etc. After you have inventoried your time, take a good look at the facts about what you are spending time on and only when ready, ask yourself these two vital questions.
Do you actually want to create time to integrate new and exciting endeavors?
Do you want to experience thriving or have you created a life of suffering to keep you safe?
Part of this mind shift is giving up any notion of martyrdom or complaining, sure life can be hard, but talking about what you don't enjoy less action will no longer work once you know the facts about your time spending habits.
Once you know the answer to your question, if you are willing to integrate thriving into your life, the future of work becomes a concept that is totally obvious and easy to consider.
In my world, all of these activities and concepts combined by a very realistic (almost obsessive) knowledge of where my time goes, is really informing how I am planning to integrate being a mother, my work in the world and all of my favorite relationships into one big pot of Lindsey Rainh2o, soup!
Commitment, choice and intention. Every single day can be filled with work helping others, time with those you love and time investing in yourself. Although, becoming a mother is the largest integration I have ever imagined, I do believe that rather than thinking I can "do it all", whatever that means, instead, I get to choose from a place of choice. I choose now and plan to continue to choose to create time each day to do the things I really love doing and that mindset, I believe will contribute to informing how I co author the next chapter of my life integration.
Lindsey Rainwater, also known as Lindsey RainH2O, is a sought-after business consultant, leadership coach, writer and presenter to the fitness and wellness industry. For more information about Rainwater, follow her on Twitter@LindseyRainH2O
Time is of the essence, and usually always is. There will always be deadlines to meet, and a work/life balance for which to strive. Even in finding that balance, are you still over-committed? Are you able to give the best you have to offer to everything you have to do? Your productivity and activity is a direct result of what you are saying yes and no to.
Seth Godin breaks down some pretty good tips on when you should say no to something:
If you're not proud of it, don't serve it.
If you can't do a good job, don't take it on.
If it's going to distract you from the work that truly matters, pass.
If you don't know why they want you to do this, ask.
If you need to hide it from your mom, reconsider.
If it benefits you but not the people you care about, decline.
If you're going along with the crowd, that's not enough.
If it creates a habit that costs you in the long run, don't start.
If it doesn't move you forward, hesitate then walk away.
The short run always seems urgent, and a moment where compromise feels appropriate. But in the long run, it's the good 'no's that we remember.
On the other hand, there's an imperative to say "yes." Say yes and build something that matters.
Time is something you can never get back. Having your priorities in line with your goals, both for life and professionally, is imperative. But opportunities we’re given, meetings we’re offered, etc. can’t always fit in our schedule. And if you somehow do fit everything in, something somewhere is compromised.
After learning when you should say “no,” learn to actually stand your ground, and confidently decline. Where you answer yes or no to is a huge indicator of where your time is going. Make it count. Whatever you say yes to, make sure you’re able to give it your best.
When saying no to things that are lower priority and that you truly don’t have time to give your best to, you will be more productive and successful in the areas of life you do say yes to. Keep your priorities straight, and guard them with “no.”
Lindsey is a sought after business consultant and big leap coach, writer and presenter to the fitness industry and beyond. For more information follow her on twitter @lindseyrainh2o
I remember not that long ago sitting down with a pen and paper and putting effort into writing down my values, my mission and my goals. I remember googling “how to know what you value”. I tell you that to let you know I have been there. I have had no idea what I wanted or how to get there, I understand not knowing where to start. I believe the point is to start in a direction, take that beginning step, and the next actions will follow once your feet are moving.
Over the course of the last thirteen years, I have been designing my current lifestyle and I want to share with you how you can also design the life of your dreams.
I shared a few weeks ago about Tim Ferriss’s book “The 4-Hour Workweek.” Excellent read and if you have not read it, do! I had been designing my days and weeks for a while when this book was introduced to me, and after reading, I had a whole new layer of clarity to work with.
The New Rich (NR) are those who abandon the deferred-life plan and create luxury lifestyles in the present using the currency of the New Rich: time and mobility. This is an art and a science we will refer to as Lifestyle Design (LD).
When I read this, I was floored! It was as if I needed Tim (or someone) to give me permission to take the leap of faith into redesigning the way I lived. Tim talks a lot in the book about travel and how to create a life overseas, but the same rules apply wherever you are. The principle is this: how do you want to spend your day, what do you value, and what do you love doing that gives you the most energy? Do those things, build your income around those things, and the rest will fall into place.
Now, if sitting on your ass eating pizza and binging on Netflix is your idea of a happy life, this might not be for you. Sometimes that is fun, I get it, but Tim’s idea is a bit of a higher calling and a bit more active. This is how I see it: it’s not so much about WHAT I make, but how I arrange my time and my dollars to fit with what I most want. For instance, If your priority is going for a long run in the morning, not sitting in traffic, and being able to eat lunch at home everyday, freelance writing starts to look like a perfect “job” to align with your lifestyle aims. So often, people decide their career and then fold their life around the job. I am suggesting to go in the opposite direction: determine the life you want, what fills your cup up with ‘feel goods’, and then determine your career based on those first two pieces.
The underlying baseline here is abundance thinking instead of scarcity. When you start to believe that the universe will support your dreams and desires, and that you are worthy of those things, your choices and your design will begin to sync up perfectly with that notion. What you do for work and how you spend your time will be in alignment with your higher purpose. Start to dream, write down your vision, your goals, your mission, and don’t be afraid to borrow someone else's until you find your own.
Lindsey Rainwater is a consultant and coach to the fitness and wellness industry. She specializes in business development and leadership.