Sitting in a windowless meeting room, I listened to the conversation happening around me.
“We need to be more agile and proactive” said Colleague #1 “Make sure we’re always adapting…”
Colleague #2 chimed in “Yes but we also need to make sure we’re following process. We must have standard operating procedures. Only then can we be agile”
Colleague #1 replied “Oh no… we become too rigid with process. Too bogged down in bureaucracy. To be agile we just need to be flexible“.
Who would you rather have as your boss?
For me, it’d be Colleague #2.
Aristotle said “Through discipline comes freedom”.
And he was right.
Why?
It seems counter intuitive but the more you plan and prepare, and the more disciplined you are in following those plans, the more freedom you actually have.
Why? Because you’re not wasting time making repeatable decisions.
Instead you make a decision once and can then use your brain power, energy and time for the things that really matter to you…
So while Colleague #1 has grand plans, unless he have the foundations right, no matter how agile and flexible he wants to be, he’d be forever mired in repetitive decision making.
Take making your dinner for example.
How many times do you stare into the pantry and think “I have nothing to eat”? Or you come home late from work only to find the salad greens in the fridge have gone off and the chicken is still in the freezer?
But you still have to eat so you either:
a) eat something you know isn’t ideal like a packet of rice crackers and a whole Brie
b) jump back in the car and head to the super to pick something up; or
c) realise on your way home you have nothing to eat so stop by McDonalds on the way.
Now imagine how it would feel to be heading home after a long day at work knowing you didn’t have to plan dinner. You get home, open the fridge and pull out some pre-cut veggies and the chicken you poached on the weekend. In 15 minutes you have a quick, delicious and healthy meal ready that you haven’t had to think about.
It’s a simplistic example but shows the power in planning ahead and being prepared.
When you have plans and stick to them, that discipline allows you more freedom to do other things you enjoy… instead of standing in the supermarket self-checkout line at peak hour with everyone else you could be at home watching Netflix or talking to your kids.
Have you ever stopped to think about the cost of not planning and preparing in advance?
How much time does it take you during the week planning, cooking and preparing your meals?
How many times do you end up eating meals that aren’t as healthy as you wanted?
I’d interested to know how you approach your daily meals.
Do you prepare things in advance?
Or if not, what do you struggle with when it comes to meal prep?
Hit me up in the comments, I’d love to know.
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