What are your non-negotiables?
In our business lives we tend to focus on what we do and why we do it. But we don't hear so much about the HOW - the ingredients and tools that help us get stuff done.
How we do our work matters. Below is a list of things I need to do my best work. I couldn’t do anything meaningful without them - that’s why I call them my non-negotiables:
blank space in the calendar
working offscreen with pen and paper
working in coffee shops and inspiring spaces (like Second Home, pictured)
having meetings out of the office, ideally walking
collaborating and connecting with people who energise me
running in-person workshops and sessions in unconventional spaces
good tunes in my ears!
having some fun
Knowing your non-negotiables gives you a checklist for whether a role, a working culture or a project is a good fit or not (a few years ago I was offered a full-time position; but I would have to compromise on a lot of the above, so it was a ‘no!’).
How about you? What are your non-negotiables when it comes to the ingredients that help you thrive at work?
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If you’re curious about the exploring habits and behaviours that fuel your best work my Redesign Your Work Day class is available on demand from Simon Sinek’s Optimism Library.