Recovery sets a place for pace
Perspective gained in lockdown must not be forgotten in the rush to recovery, Gleniti School principal Steve Zonnevylle ,of Timaru, writes.
There’s something about being at Alert Level 4 and now Level 3 that resonated very positively with me.
The other day I found myself walking through my neighbourhood during a very pleasant autumnal but sunny day. There were people everywhere, walking about, smiling, waving, being genuinely cheerful. All adhering strictly to the 2metre social distancing requirements, but also obviously enjoying the moment.
There was an uncanny sense of optimism in the air.
Noone was moving anywhere fast. The speed of life was just a click above sedate. It was bliss.
It occurred to me that during lockdown we all experienced a sense of what life used to be like. A time when there was time and people took time and gave their time. People seemed very happy, and as a result the optimism hung thick in the air.
It reminded me of why sports shows use slow motion to such great effect. It gives people time to look at someone else, do something amazing (or stupid) at a speed that captures the sheer magic of what is going on.
It’s also why athletes talk about being in the moment and literally slowing down time in their minds during their events. They are focused on one thing, and one thing only. The rest of the world slows almost to a stop, so that they can concentrate on just that one movement that will beat their opponent.
Musicians do a similar thing when they’re learning new pieces. If they’re struggling with a riff of notes they’ll slow down the action and speed of playing, speeding up only when they’ve got it under control.
There is something to be learnt here.
In contrast, I found myself at school the other day packing up IT devices to send home to families. Computer cables, iPads, packaging and tape strewn everywhere. I’d told the Ministry of Education that I’d be in and out of my school in one and ahalf hours. Time was of the essence. Speed was king.
For the first hour and 15 minutes I enjoyed the adrenaline rush of, well, rushing. I hadn’t felt like this in a couple of weeks and I got a kick out of it. When I knew that there was no way I was going to finish in time and that I had to press on regardless, the adrenaline turned to stress and the enjoyment flowed away. It was replaced with angst, agitation, frustration and annoyance. I felt like a washing machine that couldn’t finish its last cycle.
I feel the same now as I type this piece. I’ve spent all day planning for Level 3, organising bubbles, dealing with personnel issues and losing a couple of hours of work due to an IT issue. The washing machine cycle is back! And I realised that my usual way of working was always at this speed and intensity.
No wonder I am always shattered in ‘‘normalbased circumstances”.
And it made me think. Yes, there are times when speed is crucial, but that doesn’t need to be the norm or my modus operandi. What if I was to look at the way I work, like that autumnal afternoon in the sun, where I can take my time, enjoy my time, give my time and appreciate the time that I have with others.
No doubt we all faced many challenges during the lockdown. It was not an easy time. The uncertainty of the predicament we’ve all found ourselves in has often been crushing. The times ahead of us may not be any easier.
However we all need to look at what the lockdown gave us: plenty of time. We need to understand that constant speed is going to mean constant tiredness, and this equates to constant stress. The best thing we can do when the restrictions ease is not to speed everything up to the level we once had, but to slow everything down to a level that we can all survive in.
That’s the new challenge to us all. How do you think we can all work together to change our work culture in order to embrace “having time to take your time?”