The Time In Between

I used to arrive at meetings early. I allowed time for train delays, traffic, crowded lobbies, and building security. I would get my coffee and get settled in. I would have spontaneous conversations with people while waiting. If meeting a client, I would go to the bathroom and fix my hair and makeup prior to the meeting. I would talk to the receptionist, and other people waiting for their own meetings, whom I did not plan on meeting, but whom I enjoyed meeting anyway. When the appointed meeting time came, we would shake hands, go into a conference room, and conduct our meeting. We talked. Took notes. And I would be mindful of the time, so I could get to my next meeting early. And so I filled my work days.

Now in our Post-Covid world, we have lost “the time in between.” The time we spent getting from here to there, since we join meetings with a click. Make sure you are still building time in between. You had it before, and utilized it differently, but it served a purpose. Not just getting you from point A to B, but gathering your thoughts for the next meeting, getting some coffee and maybe even daydreaming from time to time. Don’t zoom from Zoom to Zoom. Build in the pauses between meetings. The silence between the notes. An important part of every musical masterpiece.
#balance