Many of us work harder and for longer hours, not for our benefit or wellbeing, but to increase the bottom line of a business or organisation. No amount of resilience training, productivity hacks, bananas in the canteen, upskilling or other perks can account for unethical behaviour, overt greediness or a basic lack of humanity.
We hold a belief that creativity, innovation and play is the preserve of the young or the “creatives” – the artists, painters, jewellers, singers, dancers and songwriters. [But] the reality is that we are each wired for creativity.
Creativity is without doubt about art, music and aesthetics, but it is equally about how we apply our imagination in a way that changes how we (and others) experience or view the world around us.
Creative jobs are presented as the nice-to-haves, but the one you should want, the one that results in a “good” career, whatever that means, are for those with fully operational left-brains, the analytical and logical types who are practical with strong verbal and mathematical skills.
My daughter wants to study engineering at college. I’m not sure it’s right for her
The principal can’t sleep for worrying. If she paid all the bills on her desk, she couldn’t open the school
Childcare providers warn scale of electoral commitments causing uncertainty in the sector
More than 4,600 Irish teachers working abroad as schools at home struggle with staff shortages - study
[ Twelve pieces of advice for new graduatesOpens in new window ]
This is one of the myths that shapes our realities.
Tactical Thursday: In a weekly chat with a chief financial officer, which started when I was asked to collaborate on the design, development and delivery of an in-house pilot on career agility, we worked through the following five questions:
1. What went well this week?
2. Where was your struggle?
3. What was within your control?
4. Who could you ask for help/support?
5. What is the smallest thing you could do differently next week to improve on this week?
A point of weekly self-reflection meant that where things were going well, we incrementally developed on doing better. If something was going poorly, a weekly check-in meant it was acknowledged and dealt with.
Extracted from Total Reset: Quit Living to Work and Start Working to Live, by Sinéad Brady
