Purposeful Stuff: Lessons we are holding tight to

This installment of Purposeful Stuff notes six of the simple pleasures some of our team members are holding tight to when in-person-contact and in-office-working is permitted again.

One:

“I will continue to reach out to family and friends. I do have the time – and I want to make the time – to chat on the phone and to send a card or note to loved ones to let them know how much I care. It’s been a blessing reconnecting with family and friends who are near and far. No reason to wait, when I think of someone, I reach out.”

~ Jennifer Gill, Manager, Community Operations, Hilltop at Inspiration, CO

Two:

“Family is the most important. During this challenging time, I am treasuring the time to be close and to sneak in extra hugs and kisses on breaks from my task list.

Also, as an introvert at heart, I have found working from home refreshing. I have used this time to think much more creativity. Our whole team has been forced to think outside the box, and I feel everyone on the team is much more versatile because of it. It’s been such a pleasure to brainstorm and collaborate across the company on various projects. I need time without distractions – quiet time to dive deeply into projects. Something I’ll be carving out on my calendar is uninterrupted time for reflection and deeper work.”

~ Gus Brown, Manager, Community Programs, Verrado, AZ

Three:

“I am enjoying the ‘white space’ on my calendar. The chance to refresh and to grab moments to be present and to savor the simple and meaningful. I have always approached my calendar as a reflection of my priorities. I have struggled to balance my wants and those of my kids with the needs of others. This clean slate is the forced opportunity I have long craved to mindfully choose what I want to add back to my life and my calendar in the coming months because it brings me and us purpose and joy.”

~ Jennifer A. Barefoot, Chief Brand Officer, AZ

Four:

“I want to be sure that I don’t get stuck in a rut. I identified this concern when doing laundry. Since our company is doing video conferencing meetings, I have made sure that I have a clean shirt on. Ten days in, I went to do laundry.  I had ten shirts and one pair of shorts in the laundry hamper.  Apparently, my rut is my shorts, and they need changing.

It’s worth noting that I am choosing not to share the response my wife gave when I asked if she noticed and why she didn’t say anything.”

~ Darrell Mead, Director, Accounting, AZ

Five:

“This experience has given me the space and time to think creatively and thoughtfully. To pause and breathe. It has forced me to collaborate and reimagine what our engagement work looks like. Coming out of this, I am making a commitment to pause and breathe when I’m tempted to react.  I’m committed to sharing with colleagues and to working smarter not harder. Lastly, this experience has reinforced my commitment to modeling kindness, grace, and empathy and identifying how we are alike rather than how we are different.”

~ Kat Prusinski, Director, Community Engagement, Verrado & Victory at Verrado

Six:

“Permission. Up until recently I found it difficult to give myself permission to do the things that are good for me – that are soul nurturing – without feeling profound guilt, as if I should be doing something more productive with my time. Going forward I am granting myself permission to take the opportunities to:

• Stop work early when my dog drops a ball at my feet and nudges me outside.
• Enjoy a cup of coffee and a quiet moment before picking up my cell phone each morning.
• Make and take time for self-care – mentally, physically, spiritually.”

~ Suzanne Walden Wells, Chief Executive Officer, AZ

Our team receives and shares a lot of good and purposeful stuff.  Through a series we call “Purposeful Stuff,” we are curating these goodies to share more broadly.