Working Up

by Dwayne Phillips

It seems we still do this old time waster – hurry up and wait. Let’s try to reframe it into something more productive and creative.

I am writing this blog while waiting. I had been working feverishly on something and completed the task. Now…well, you know…

Hurry up and wait

Let’s see if we can reframe this into something else. For me at least, this waiting time often becomes

Hurry up and goof off

I can’t think of a better term for it. I am goofing off. I am wandering about trying to find something to do. It seems that I’m wasting the time of other people as I chat with them about this and that. At least surfing the net doesn’t bother anyone else here. I guess it does consume some of the shared net bandwidth.

Let’s see if we can reframe this into something else. For me at least, this goofing off becomes

Hurry up and think

Ah, that is a bit more productive. I use this waiting time to think about things. Maybe I can even think about things related to work. Well, maybe not.

Let’s see if we can reframe this into something else. For me at least, this thinking time often becomes

Hurry up and create

Ah, I like that one. Create new products. Create new ideas. Create things that satisfy. Yes, I like that one.

Come to think of it, this time that exists after the hurry can become the 20% creative or innovative time. The rumor is that at Google, and other really successful companies, employees are given 20% of their working hours to be creative and invent new products. The mythology is that the Post It Pad was invented during one of these 20% times. Maybe it was; maybe it wasn’t. At least the idea sounds good.

Therefore, I don’t have to ask my boss for 20% creative time. I just use that time after the hurry to be wonderfully creative and invent things that benefit the company or at least benefit my own mind.