Safety first, slow down. Accuracy matters, slow down. Quality counts, slow down. Every industry has needs and situations that require us to slow down and do the work well and correctly the first time.
In a technology-driven world it is easy to feel that urgency is all around us and in every request. Yet, a sense of urgency can cause us to make errors that wouldn’t be made if we would slow down and pace ourselves effectively rather than moving at rush speed. “Slow down” means find the right pacing for work accomplishment; it doesn’t mean stop. “Slow down” means a course correction may be needed. Or, it may mean that an improvement in quality is needed and that slowing down is the only way to achieve that quality.
Netflix streams SLOW television: programs that include watching a sweater being knit and a multi-hour train trip without narration. In a hectically paced world, sometimes SLOW is the pace that can restore and rejuvenate us. When overscheduled, making choices to protect our time and energy counts as slowing down too.
When too many meetings fill your schedule, slow down by asking for the meeting minutes rather than attending the meeting. Protecting brainpower and time for your own workload is important and is a part of slowing down to accomplish work more effectively.
Jobs that require driving and rental cars often have speed-governing equipment and tracking devices so that companies can determine whether their vehicles are being used safely, and within the law. This means that top vehicle speeds are set by the company, controlled by a computer, and drivers cannot exceed that speed. In other words, the design of the system forces drivers to slow down.
What work pace are you pursuing? In what ways could you and your team benefit if you slow down? What systems can you put in place to support a slow down?
Workplace: Managing the moments of our day-to-day business lives takes work. Together, let’s explore what issues and activities affect us every day (or some days) that we go to work. – Jana