A system is not something that needs to fix you or make you better. A system is a safety net. In a previous episode, I redefined systems as a series of components that work together towards a common goal.
Usually systems are thought of as trying to fix things that's wrong with you to make you fit in a certain way of working.
A system is actually designed to be a safety net to support your way of working. Not trying to completely change it.
If the way you work doesn't support what you're trying to achieve, which can indeed still be a thing. A system can be that safety net for when things fall over a bit. Because you're human, not a robot.
A good example of this is a non-business thing. I mentioned a kettle in a previous audio . I often operate on an out of sight out of mind mentality. This has never been more truer when it comes to making myself a hot drink. Now, my studio is not the warmest, so hot drinks are a must. I also get super dehydrated very, very easily.
So I need to drink plenty and do have a tendency to drink a lot of tea. If you see any of the videos or the podcasts that I'm on. I always have a drink by my side, often two. Now previously I had a traditional kettle, which required at least two three, maybe even five minutes to make a cup of tea. So I used to put the kettle on, I go back to work. Three hours past. I forgot that I was trying to make myself a drink. I'm dehydrated. Oh, I boiled the kettle and now it's cold and I have to do it again. That process then repeats itself over and over.
So instead of trying to force myself to fix that, I thought, well, is it possible to buy a kettle that super fast to boil and also fills up my cup? Spoiler alert there is… (affiliate link) so now even if I do forget. I'll have a drink.
Now I could have created reminders to try and force myself to remember force myself to wait and focus and probably a host of other, just get better at it things. But instead, the kettle that I've bought and use is a mundane example of a component of a system. That's part of the safety net. I am piece of that system and it supports me.
Do I still forget things? Yes. Will that ever change unlikely, but I have a kettle that boils faster? That means more times than not. I always have a drink ready to drink, whether it's hot or cold. Is another story.
We are bombarded by things we should be doing each and every day in our business. However, sometimes things in our life as well as outside of our business can have a fantastic influence on the way we work. Remembering that your system shouldn't fix you and be focused on providing a support network or a safety net to support you allows you to get things done in a way that fits you.
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