When Did You Last Reboot?
When something goes wrong with a technological tool, whether it’s your computer, WiFi, or phone - what is the first thing that anyone will ask you?
Have you restarted?
Did you check for updates?
Shut down, unplug, wait ten seconds, and then reboot.
I would say that this works, 9/10 times.
When was the last time you re-started? When is the last time that you checked in with yourself and identified what updates were necessary in your own life?
When, then, did you last shut down, unplug, wait ten seconds, and re-start?
If you’re anything like most people - it has probably been a while. For most, life has been incredibly challenging for a long time. We have lost loved ones. We have lost jobs, incomes, time with friends, hugs from family, and at times, we have lost our faith in others, our faith in humanity.
Yet, those of us who are lucky enough to do so, wake up every day and keep going, keep moving, and lately it feels like - keep suffering. Most of us have not stopped in a very long time. We have not taken our vacations, because there is nowhere to go. We have not missed a day of work, because we feel lucky to have a job and fearful of losing it. We have not created space to grieve, both the collective and personal losses that have occurred.
And I’m worried about all of us.
As someone who thinks a lot about well-being, manages people, and serves as a coach and a mindfulness practitioner, even I have put well-being on the backburner for some time - and if I have, then I know I’m not alone.
*Before I go on, it’s important to state this: the ideas I’m about to share are not available to everyone. There is an inherent privilege that comes with being able to stop, take a break, and create boundaries. And if you are able to do it, you must. And then, you must then get back to work, and take care of others, lessening the weight that others must carry.*
So, what can we do?
We can shut down. If I learned anything from my maternity leave in the fall of 2019, it was this - work will be there when you get back. If I learned anything from 2020, it was this - your toddler will be OK if you need to let them watch screen time so you can take a break. And, if I’ve learned anything from 2021 so far it is this - saying no is hard, but it’s the most necessary act of self-care that we can do.
We can unplug. When did doom-scrolling become a term? Have you done it? I know I have, and it never makes me feel better. It doesn’t inspire me to do more, to be better, or to help others more effectively. It exhausts and drains me. And that’s not good for anyone, myself or those around me that I so desperately want to support. So unplug. Whether it’s for an hour, or better yet, a weekend. Turn off the news. Stop scrolling Instagram. Read a novel. Create something. Get back to baking sourdough bread. Let your mind rest, and heal, so that tomorrow you can show up better.
Wait 10 seconds. In my coaching, I often encourage clients to take a pause before reacting. Breathe. Think. Wait. When is the last time you have taken a mindful breath? That email can wait. That task will be waiting for you tomorrow. You don’t need to have a difficult conversation right now if you’re not capable. Pause, so you can make sure you know what’s most important. Pause, so you can respond as your best self. Pause, because you deserve it.
We can reboot. What do you need to let go of? What do you need to say yes to? What needs to change in order to make your life work for you? In those moments of pause, imagine what is possible. Consider who you need to be. And then slowly come back. I read somewhere recently that if something isn’t a HECK YES! Then it needs to be a no. And as a wise colleague mentioned recently:
No is a sentence.
No is an answer.
No is a prayer.
Take care of yourself, loved ones. We need you.
How To Follow-Up After A Conference
This article was originally published on LinkedIn.
Going to conferences is a necessity for many young professionals who are seeking career advancement, looking to build their network, or hoping to get inspired and gain new insights about their industry. At the same time, conferences can feel overwhelming (there are too many people!), frustrating (this content is so boring!), and many leave feeling unsure about how to bring what they’ve learned back to work (my boss expects a report-out, so I better get on that!). In order to maximize the conference experience, it is important to have a clear process for what happens when you get back to the office. By scheduling two hours after you return, you can significantly maximize the time you have spent and ensure that what you’ve gained will have a meaningful impact on your career. What follows is exactly what those two hours should look like.
Journaling (30 minutes): Within a few days after you return form a conference, it is important to capture your learnings—not just from your notes, but from what you actually remember from the conference. So take out your notebook and pen, set a timer, and get to writing. Don’t worry about whether you capture everything or whether it makes sense. This process is about capturing your feelings, thoughts, and high-level reflections from the conference as a whole. Writing (not on a computer) is a greatly undervalued process, and is important in really thinking about what you learned at the conference.
Social Media Interactions (20 minutes): During the conference, you probably followed along with the conference hashtag throughout every session, and then completely forgot about it later on. Go back and read through conference tweets and engage with attendees. Perhaps you’ll find someone interesting to follow or reach out to, or you’ll gain interesting insights from other sessions that you hadn’t noticed live. Follow interesting speakers and tweet out your thanks for their great sessions—they’ll appreciate it!
Personal Follow-Up (40 minutes): As you consider how best to follow-up with those you met at a conference, start with creating a few options for each person you met:
A personalized LinkedIn request: If you met someone that you found interesting and would like to stay connected with, consider sending them a LinkedIn request. However, you must remember to write a note along with that request. Chances are, they are receiving requests from many people, and might not remember who you are (and if you can’t think of anything to say because you can’t really remember the interaction—don’t add them).
A meaningful email: If you really connected with someone and could see yourself continuing the conversation in the near future, send them an email. Share at least 1-2 resources that you think they might like (articles, video links, website), and a plan for when you’d like to connect—whether you’d like to connect again immediately (if so, share some potential dates/times), or letting them know that you’ll reach out to schedule a call or coffee in a month (put it in your calendar so you don’t forget!).
Toss the business card: The honest truth is that we all meet a lot of people at conferences that we won’t ever connect with again. That is normal, and it’s okay to toss that person’s business card without any additional follow-up. Chances are if you do reach out, nothing would ever come of it, so don’t waste your time or theirs, and just toss the card.
What’s learned here, leaves here (30 minutes): Once you’ve done the first three steps, it’s going to become incredibly easy to share your conference experience with your boss, your peers, your direct reports, and anyone else you’d like to. Now it’s time to grab your computer and start typing. Be sure to share the following:
High-Level Takeaways: What did you learn overall? What sessions sparked new thinking or confirmed ideas that your organization has been wrestling with?
Meaningful Connections: Who did you connect with and how are you following up?
Future: Is this a conference that your organization should continue to have a presence at in the future? If so or if not, why? Who should attend this conference in the future?
And with that, you’ve done an amazing job of following up after the conference!