19 Sep Why we’re channelling our inner hippie
This week at Sonder we’re tapping into our inner-hippie, cleansing our chakras with a wire brush, zoning-in and, most importantly, getting in tune with the seasons. We all know them – Summer, Autumn, Winter and of course Spring, which, for those of us in the southern hemisphere, is now.
The seasons create a natural rhythm to our lives, we love them or loathe them, we embrace what they signify and we are hardwired through evolution to adapt to them. In fact, the seasons determine much of our lifestyles – certainly the clothes we wear, the activities we do, the foods we eat, the work we focus on and in some cases even our psychological state.
So why not apply the seasonal rhythm to how we connect in the business context? It would certainly tap into a universal insight that transcends technology, trends and fashions. Some businesses are naturally seasonal – sports, food, fashion, real estate, alcohol and travel categories are all strongly governed by seasons.
Applying a phenological approach to any business can create a natural flow to productivity. For example, if Winter is about going inwards, planning, strategising, tinkering with products and campaigns, then Spring is the perfect time to create and launch new things.
Here are 4 ways to tap into Spring:
- Create and release your creations into the wild. Take that new campaign to market. Make that change to the structure of your team. Kick-start the project you’ve been planning.
- Renew, which is the classic “Spring Clean” of the office environment. This could mean changing the seating plan or getting more plants. Tearing-up that old process document that’s no longer relevant. Cancelling the unproductive weekly meeting. Delete the thousands of emails. Empty the old documents decaying on your desk. Shelve the advertisement that no longer resonates.
- Celebrate by bringing your team together and exciting them with what you’ve achieved and the plans for the coming months.
- Play more, which might mean organising the personal trainer for your team, or some art classes, or even yoga.
When people are in sync with the seasons they’re operating more naturally and with greater focus. It stands to reason that if businesses use the seasons to set a rhythm, they will be more successful in achieving goals. Time to spring forward. Namaste.