đ„ Don't beat yourself up
Ep 48: A tragic parade, eating your own dog food, and a healthy checklist for the working masses.
Iâll start off this edition by sharing the story behind Broadwayâs revival of Parade. Amy and I saw the tragic musical after our return flight from Oregon. Weâre so glad we were able to catch it before it closed yesterday: Ben Platt was fantastic in the role of Leo Frank.
Iâll also point out that itâs fantastic seeing an evening show while still on Pacific time. On the walk back to the hotel, we marveled at how nice it was to still have some energy in the late evening hours!
A Tip for the Modern Worker
Eat your own dog food. Itâs important to âwalk a mileâ in your customerâs shoes. Whether itâs a website, application, a call center, or an in-person process, go through the process as your customers do. Only then will you understand what works, what doesnât, and have the context to understand consumer feedback.
This tip is one of 365 in my Handbook for the Modern Worker. In short, use what you build. When you try to solve problems as your customers try to solve problems, youâll uncover issues that hamper the usability of your process, application, or website. Itâs a fantastic first line of defense!
#365DayDraw
I drew this and wrote the accompanying annotation as part of my #365DayDraw project 7 years ago today.
There's nothing sweeter than picking cherry tomatoes from my own garden
Timely! I harvested the first 5 of what will be hundreds of cherry tomatoes from my garden in the coming weeks. Summer eating here is very much just in time, with some components of our dinner making just a 50-foot trip from our garden to the dinner plate.
Commentary
When Amy and I were doing our V02 Max test at Cayuga Sports Medicine and Athletic Performance, she noticed this checklist. She remarked about it to the staff, and they told us that the checklist was invaluable for them as a daily reminder to not beat oneself up too much.
Take a moment to think about today
Acknowledge one thing that was difficult on your shift: let it go
Be proud of the care you gave to your patients and each other today
Consider three things that went well
Check on your colleagues before you leave: are they OK?
Are you OK? Your leadership team is here to listen and support you
Now switch your attention to home: Rest and Recharge
Consider printing it out, or copying and adapting the text above, and using it in your own workplace. I think reflecting on your day and acknowledging one thing that was hard (and letting it go) while considering three things that went well can help âclear the decksâ so you can focus on the true goal of your non-work time: recuperation.
Miscellanea
đ Iâm always looking for fitness-related content and apps, and workout.lol is interesting for the home gym set. Besides having a fantastic URL, the site lets you choose the equipment you have, and the muscles you want to train, and suggests a series of workouts you can do (including technique videos).
đŹ Do you dislike giving your employees feedback? Do you have a friend who desperately needs to hear something, but youâre afraid of telling them for fear of damaging the relationship? Listen to The Truth About Honesty by Hidden Brain. Psychologist Taya Cohen says there are times when well-intended restraint can be a mistake. I know that when it comes to personal and professional topics, I would love to get first-hand feedback on how I can improve, but that feedback is infrequent, if it exists at all.
đ„Ÿ If you know me, you know I run. Strava summarizes my activity every month for me and it highlighted a notable shift in my workouts this summer. Specifically, Iâve been running a lot less and cross-training a lot more! The focus on less-intense workouts is very much intentional and Iâve enjoyed the variety. In order: hiking, yoga, running, biking, and rowing.