Thinking & Doing Grid

Another cool space scribble Niel uses to explain is the Thinking and Doing Grid.

My introspection of last year helped me realize I overdid some areas of my life especially work and got nearly burnt out. Burning is good but burning out is not good, I almost did.  So I had to rearrange my schedules, meetings, and activities of my life. Niel mentions a poem by Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Edna St. Vincent Millay in her book Poetry which I think is a good reminder of the seductive lure of burning. I  re-quote the lines here to set up my post.

 My candle burns at both ends;

It will not last the night;

But ah, my foes, and oh, my friends - 

It gives a lovely light!

The temptation to burn for me is high, but the secrets of Shabbat rest are slowly sinking in for me to be intentional in giving more time to reflection, thinking and rearranging my life. 

When you are doing and thinking is in the high mode you are in the BURN quadrant.  It's a good place to be but if you are here for a long time chances are you will burn out for sure. You are incredibly productive, adrenaline runs high and rewards may be high and sometimes to get deadlines met being in this place will help. However seductive the quadrant of productivity is it's hard to always remain there. Consciously knowing when to disengage and the delegate will be key to create for yourself SPACE. This is the place where you create space to almost do nothing, rest, relax and recuperate. The SPACE quadrant can be interjected with practices like the Sabbath, lying on beach, vacation, taking a break from social media etc. These are practices I have engaged in.  However high doses of being in the SPACE quadrant can also be harmful with habits like laziness, oversleeping and inactivity. But you need to create SPACE and also be conscious of keeping it healthy. 

Creating space for THINK time is also critically important.  I like to use the word 'Ponder' (my bestie uses that word a lot :); I also like the word 'reflect'.  This space is your pondering, wondering and reflecting space. The Sabbath practice helps here to where you are journaling, thinking, connecting, storying, engaging your mind and heart. In this quadrant the thinking is in high mode and doing is low. 

The last quadrant DO simply denote 'doing'. Working on your daily routines, tasks, and projects.   Happy people flip flop between these quadrants actively knowing when to engage, disengage, ponder, wonder and manage those spaces!

Shalom,

Sam