Time For Us To Rethink Things

Dealing With Changing Tides

This time away from the routine has caused a shift in my thinking, as it probably has for so many of you. It has been great to spend more time with my family. I have tried not to make it a time to just binge watch TV. After all, I still have a business to build and companies to help through this crisis. I am using the time that I don’t have to commute or do school to get outside a little more and exercise, write, edit photos, and build a little something else on the side. Being quarantined is not all that bad.

Changing our working routines can be challenging. It is even more challenging if you have to change because of a layoff or being furloughed by your employer. If this is you, then I am sorry to hear that. See if you can’t make the most of this time by exploring your creative side.

I am making some changes in my routine to be more aware, more efficient, and more creative.

“The recognition of common creative processes in the arts and the sciences has led to a wide range of collaborative projects and to the early dawning of what may prove in our own times to be a new Renaissance. It is a Renaissance based on a more holistic understanding of human consciousness; of the relationships between knowing and feeling; and of how all that we think and feel is part of the creative process of making sense of the world around us and of the worlds within us.”

(Out of Our Minds: Learning to be Creative, Ken Robinson. Scribd.)

How I am Changing

Tracking Activity

I am working on keeping better track of my activities. Since today is the beginning of a new month, I did a look back to this past month and how I have done on many of my objectives. At the beginning of this year, I set some goals that I wanted to accomplish. I set these goals based on the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ new youth goal setting curriculum. I have set goals within these four areas

• Spiritual
• Physical
• Intellectual
• Social

Through this, I want to track how often I exercise in the month, how often I take my wife out on a date, the books that I have read if I have met my professional goals, and other things related to my spirituality, my family, and friends.

I have also started to track my daily tasks. I create a journal entry in my Day One journal of the key 12-15 things that I need to accomplish during the day. This helps me to look back and see that I was productive even though some days, I may feel like I did not do that much.

Exercising More

One of my big goals this year is to get in better physical shape. Having been working and full-time in school for the past three years has been hard to keep myself as physically fit as I would like to. Even though we are following the guidelines to stay in our homes, I am still getting outside. When I workout and get outside, it opens up my creative mind.

The biggest thing that could come from this that would affect me would be to lose my access to the outdoors. It is one thing to not be able to travel and explore other places, but not being able to get up on the trails and even out on our local pathways to run or bike would be a big problem for me. The outdoors is my sanity.

Writing More

I have written a lot more over the past couple of weeks. It has helped my creative thoughts as well as reflection and releasing stress. I write in my Day One journal every day. I have written more content for my blog. I have been a little more open on my LinkedIn and Instagram posts. Also, I have written more for Cinch.

When I write, then I become more relaxed. An excellent example of this was the other night. I chose to go to bed early Sunday to get an adequate amount of sleep and start the week strong. In bed, before nine is not a common thing for me, but I did it. My sleep was somewhat restless all night until about 1 am when I awoke and could not get back to sleep. There was a lot on my mind. I was dealing with the burden of business, family, and all that is going on right now. I went down to the family room, and I began to write my thoughts down. This helped me to relax. I was able to return to bed and face the issues in the morning.

I appreciate the art of writing as a release from all the crazy. I do enjoy writing and wish that I made it a more regular habit. This time has allowed me to do just that.

Creating More

When I am outside, I begin to notice little things more. I see how the light hits the mountains at a particular time of day. I enjoy the morning air. I am seeing my children as precious as they are. I am working to think outside the box more.

I am looking to create more. I have not done as much as I would like, but I am exploring ways to get my creativity flowing.

Reading More

I have already been reading a lot this year. I am currently ahead of my projected goals for reading for the year. Having this time has given me some more time to ponder and read good books. I read at least a chapter a day from some book other than my scriptures. It has been great to expand my thoughts through reading.

Currently, I am reading Out of Our Minds by Ken Robinson. This book gives me some great insights into creativity and how I can help my children be more creative. I am grateful for this time that I have them home from school to help them see that they can learn outside of a classroom. I just need to be better at fostering an environment where they feel comfortable to take risks and fail on the way to creating something great.

The creativity of a culture depends on how open these networks are and how easily we can access knowledge. Creativity is about making connections and more often than not, …, it is driven by collaboration as much as, if not more than, by solo efforts.
For this reason, cultures that enforce strict boundaries between specialisms can inhibit potentially valuable forms of innovation.

(Out of Our Minds: Learning to be Creative, by Ken Robinson. Scribd.)

Let’s Keep Going

By fostering a culture where we care for one another and are there to support each other, we can become better because of this trial. It is the times that we suffer that help us to become the strongest. I am grateful for the stories of the individual that gave up his bag of flower for another, a random box of food left on a porch, or a mail lady that offers to buy groceries or anything else for the seniors on her route. Humanity is great.

If we are willing to take risks and try new things, then we won’t just get through this current crisis, but we will be more prepared for the next one. We will be a better community and culture because of it. We will be better humans. Whether you act on some of the same things that I have been doing or if you explore something of your own, just be sure to be mindful of who we are all. We are all God’s children. He loves us. He is in charge. If we look to Him, then we will be stronger from this experience.

Leave me a comment and let me know some of the things that you are doing to help you and your family through this.