(Photo credit @calypso999)
I'll admit it - the cabin fever is getting to me this week. Yesterday, on Earth Day, it alternately snowed, was super sunny, and was dark & stormy all within just a couple hours. Kinda the external version of what many of us are feeling these days. I think Mother Nature is also kinda tired & unsure yet laughing in the sun.
Taking care of yourself & the people around you
The time we are in is calling for a change in expectations. Humans naturally resist change. Even (or especially?) Type A folks like you & me.
Normally, we all struggle with the inherent contradictions of a growth mindset: I am confident in my skills & abilities & performance. Yet. I also know that there is more to learn & that I can and should improve my skills & abilities & performance to be a better (person, employee, manager, leader, etc) in this world.
Right now, it can be even harder to figure out how to set expectations for yourself, to be kind to yourself, to figure out whether you are Sir Isaac Newton (having potentially your "best" year while quarantined) or a literal couch potato.
Since this is a techie blog, here's an equation for you to ponder:
Satisfaction = Experience - Expectations
If you remember nothing else, remember this.
So what can you do to help change the inputs in this equation? Either improve your experience or reduce your expectations.
Ideas to improve experience: reach out to loved ones, work on fun projects, volunteer to make masks, watch movies, take online classes
Ideas to lower expectations: forgive yourself, be grateful for what you do have, ask yourself these daily Qs, go walk in nature with no devices, laugh at real or metaphorical "spilled milk"
So much of our experience these days is dictated for us by forces outside of our control. And while you may not be able to improve your experience any further, you can definitely lower your expectations. In either case, the goal is to help you have higher satisfaction with what's going on in life.
Understanding this equation & the paradox central to growth mindset will help you to become a fantastic manager in tech.
You will know how to take care of yourself when things are going great, and when things are rough.
You will also know how to navigate whatever crazy project is thrown your way, and how to help others do that too.
You will know how to help your team members set realistic expectations, how to give themselves a break, while also motivating them to look forward to great things in the future.
