8-5 is a Long Time to Not Smile...

This week has been a pretty hectic one at the office with some important project delivery deadlines to be met. My office space has been abuzz with designers and engineers resolving issues, reviewing design options and signing off drawings. This, in addition to my role in doing actual design work and liaising with external designers, has resulted in little time to reflect on "thoughtful" things to blog about. Even my run yesterday, which is usually a great time for reflection, seemed to be just a blur of nondescript colours. I am sure, I am not alone in having times like this, where survival and endurance seem to be your focal points.

What should you do in times like this?
Unfortunately, I don't have any three step solutions. All I am going to do, is give all I can over this relatively short period to deliver the goods required of me. There is no way to sugar-coat this. There are times in life to just buckle down and work hard! No special formula, just focus and hard work.  I can't "demand" for the results of the finished deliverables, we have to actually get down and sweat it out to produce the results. (But now that is heading down a completely different avenue....)

I could waste time bemoaning the workload, ridiculous time-lines, external influences, etc... Or I can focus on what I need to contribute and be grateful that I can be part of a highly skilled team which is delivering a value-engineered product for both the client and our company. I can be grateful I have employment and not out-there struggling to find the next pay-cheque to support my family.
I am grateful.

Work is more than just an 8-5 time slot in your day. It is a period that you are giving of yourself to add value to your employer. Regardless of your current emotions and attitude towards your company for whatever reasons, it is your duty to give what you need to give to perform your job. I believe this is more important for your self-worth than out of dutiful employment. Leaving a task with a high sense of personal pride, regardless of your company's response, is more important for your job satisfaction.  Manager's however, please note, as managers of people, acknowledgement and recognition of people's efforts is probably one of your most important duties. Never neglect that aspect. People are putting the bulk of lives into being at work and should be recognised for this and not taken for granted as loyalty is easily lost and difficult to regain.

Working for most of us will be a lifelong experience and everyone of us can help make it a better one by recognising what others do within your organisation. Do something out of the ordinary for somebody else. Bosses, make coffee for your secretary for a change! Take time to laugh and have fun at work, 8-5 is a long time to not smile...

Worth Celebrating

It would be so easy to fall into the trap of complaining about the current debacles in South Africa but I think there is enough social media covering that ground. Instead...

Yesterday, I was looking at some photo's of nature in unusual but exceptionally beautiful forms. Cloud formations, lightning, ice formations, volcanoes... 
(http://distractify.com/dark/science/incredible-natural-phenomenon/) 

Yesterday, I also heard of the celebrations of a whole family for a son who had graduated and what a milestone achievement that was, as well as an inspiration for the younger members of the family.

We had some desperately needed rain.

I felt I had a productive workday, having completed some design objectives that had been outstanding for a while. 

My family were safe and sound when I arrived home and was greeted with a hug and kiss. There was a fabulous meal cooked and I was able to sleep in a warm bed.

I have technology to be able to write these messages. I have my mental acumen to create a comprehendible piece of writing while you have the ability and means to access and read the blog.

We have so much around us that is worth celebrating, why do we spend time dwelling on the negative? It is actually illogical. You have a choice to either bring joy, laughter and upliftment into your (or another's) life or you can choose to drag yourself down into negativity just by choosing what you want to celebrate. Because discussing something is putting it into a priority position. It is what you have chosen to spend this very moment doing. You have sacrificed all other options to do that thing right now! I would call that celebrating. I'd rather lift up the things I treasure and respect rather than the discouraging and degenerating topics. 

Leave the negativity to decay on its own. 
Celebrate only that worthy of celebrating. 

Let Them Know

So Thursday afternoon I attended a memorial service of a friend of mine who was ripped away from this world in an unexpected and tragic manner. She was a friend during my 'varisity years and a girlfriend to a good mate so as you can imagine we spent considerable time together. I can still remember when we first met; as a group we were off to watch a movie at Berea Centre. I can't remember what the movie was but clearly remember Mel like it was yesterday. For those that know me, I am not the most spontaneous communicator (to put it nicely), but Mel was in the passenger seat of the car turning around to face me and ask me all kinds of random things creating such a light atmosphere and of course so much laughter.
Unfortunately as life happens and as we followed our separate paths, we lost touch. On Saturday, I read of her accident and it hit my spirit with such impact, I actually groaned with the shock.

After so many years passing, I didn't know what Mel had accomplished with her life other than hearing that she had a beautiful daughter. However, sitting in the church, I could see how many lives she had touched and the profound impact she actually had on so many. The question that rose up in my mind was, "Did she know?".

My blog today is to remind myself to "Let them know". Don't let the opportunity pass to tell somehow how you feel about them, how important they are and how much you love them. That moment may never come again! The pastor used the word 'brevity' to describe our time on this earth. How you spend your time is your choice but realise how short your time is and that it could be taken
at any moment. Make your time count, make it a quality life. We all have our individual talents, so do what it is that you have been gifted with. We all have the propensity to love, just in different manners and capacities but we all have it. Don't hold it back, use the opportunity you have been given.

The pastor also compared our earthly time with our eternal experience. We can be so focused on surviving this life that we forget about the eternity we face afterwards. The 70-80 years we face on this earth are so insignificant in time comparison, to the measure of eternity. The earthly-time we have is available to decide what we choose to believe happens when we die. Most of us are fortunate to be able to freely practise our beliefs without sanction or punishment so use that opportunity.
For many years I was an atheist, choosing to believe I had no soul and once my life light was out, it was over. I have since become a Christian and have seen and experienced so much that I could never doubt the existence of God. That's my choice, just wanted to let you know you too have a choice...