“We can’t hear you, Dave.”
“Uh oh, Dave’s frozen.”
“Dave, you must have a bad connection.”
Replaying those words in my head brings me back to a sinking feeling of shame. I had let a team down. And it was because of my internet connection. Technology had gotten in the way of true connection again.
Back in March of 2020, when COVID-19 was spreading like wildfire across Canada, I made a big decision. If I had to work remotely, I would do it from our home in Muskoka.
There have been huge advantages. Over the past year, my productivity has soared. Nature is my happy place and, without distractions, I got much more done. I set up a beautiful new office and I’ve been delighted to hear that my clients appreciate my calmer, clearer perspective. I’ve become used to my peaceful work environment without the early morning commute.
There has only been one problem, and it is a huge one — my internet connection.
My clients deserve the best from me, and I haven’t been able to give it. This has made me feel helpless and stuck. I was finally settled and happy; the last thing I wanted was to make another change. I kept thinking, “Maybe it’ll improve.”
Then one day, the CEO of a team I’m working with called me after a meeting and said, “Dave, this is going really well, except that we often can’t hear you. We’re missing a lot of what you have to say.”
That was it — I knew I had to take the next step.
Once I made the decision, things fell into place relatively easily. I discovered The Muskoka Collective, a beautiful shared work space in Bracebridge, and I’ve booked a private office with high-speed internet. They have incredible service, great safety protocols, and said, “Come on in…the coffee’s on!”
The transition was strange at first. Driving into town, I felt a mix of excited “back to school” energy with a dejected “turfed out of the nest” energy, but mostly, it felt good not to be stuck. I was moving forward again.
This is not just my story; this is our story. We are all navigating huge changes. Some of us have become comfortable with our new work environment, while others are anxious to get back to the office.
Like all transitions, this one is murky. It requires patience and understanding. You may think you are at the end of a transition, and realize you’re actually in the middle.
So, whether you need a nudge out of the nest or just better internet, here are some questions to consider about where you are right now:
- What is working better for you now than it was at the start if the pandemic?
- What still feels lacking, awkward, and stuck?
- What changes are you resisting?
- What small step can you take right now towards greater ease and flow?
Curiously yours,
