I’ve been doing the last of the Christmas jigsaw puzzles. Its very calming and meditative, with some Classic Calm radio in the background. But I have found that I have to change positions regularly, move to the other side of the table – because sitting in one place, I just stop seeing where the pieces fit.
When I move around, suddenly I see 5 or 10 – or 20 – pieces, and know exactly where they go. Then after another half hour I will move round again.
There’s a fairly obvious analogy with life: getting a different perspective can get you out of a rut and reignite your inspiration or creativity. Looking at a problem from a different angle can be the answer. Or GETTING different perspectives or opinions from OTHER people. This works well in companies or teams where, if everyone is alike, you only get similar solutions, thoughts or approaches (an echo chamber).
Working from home, you can change rooms, have a break, work half the day upstairs, half downstairs, maybe also part of the day from a cafe. Go and bother other members of your family, have a moan, have a vent. Working on a long-term project, if I can’t easily see the way forward, I let the problem percolate (if I have the time). I Google things, look at similar projects, take a scattergun approach, think outside the box, go away from the problem, come back to the problem – you get the idea.
In an office – or on site – you can go walkabout, accost people in corridors, shoot the breeze in the kitchen, grab people at lunch, mooch by people’s desks and chat, get input, maybe borrow ideas from what they’re working on. You know the phrase, “It’s 90% perspiration, 10% inspiration”? It’s true! And if the inspiration doesn’t come, you just have to force your way through. Start working on it, plough ahead, through treacle, to that looming deadline, and submit SOMETHING even if it’s not the greatest thing on earth. This is the Gen X way (1965-1980 : we’re resourceful, logical and problem solvers).
My Point is:
…and this is my point. Do your puzzle. Even if you can’t see the ‘whole’ picture when you start, keep putting all the pieces together, one by one, and eventually the big picture will be clear. Keep moving perspectives, but with the goal in sight. And soon your project will be done.
