#Weeknotes 48 (7 Oct) — Synthesising research, recovering from a stomach bug, and rethinking confidence
Had an all-day in-person session with the team which was brilliant. We avoided screens as much as possible and were hands-on with Post-its and wall scribbles. Everyone seemed more engaged and energised. Something that remote meetings just can’t recreate.
The rest of the week was immersing myself in the research recordings tagging insights and doing analysis work for an initial findings playback at the end of the week. That was done yesterday and was quite well received. I can always count on using video reels of user feedback to make deep impressions on those watching. They really make the insights and findings stick.
It’s interesting to see the same themes come up after doing years of research with organisations of different sizes and sectors: people want clarity and transparency of any process they’re a part of and reassurance that they are where they should be and be able to anticipate and prepare for what comes next.
I can’t help but reflect on how often a lot of what comes back from research is not new or surprising. It’s almost as if many people knew the main issues and challenges of their organisation’s services and products but it takes hearing those pain points directly from customers and service users to enable any change. It’s like well now that it’s real, we can’t ignore it.
So perhaps the role of research isn’t just to learn and get validation but also to remind us what’s obvious and fundamental that we somehow lost sight of. Reminding us who we’re serving. Reminding us to get the basics right. Reminding us what to prioritise.
I’m constantly in awe of the people I get the opportunity to speak to, from young adults curious about drug use, to people with severe mental illness, to CEOs of organisations and even some MPs, and I can say while every person has interesting viewpoints and unique experiences, they share universal needs with you and me: to be understood, included, reassured, and listened to. These experiences humble me.
Life wise:
Caught a tummy bug from Layton. He had a tummy bug, probably from the nursery, last week and threw up in the middle of the night and recovered almost immediately the next day. I, on the other hand, was bedridden for over 40 hours, threw up everything I had, had sore joints, could barely muster energy to go to the bathroom, and was quite miserable. I’m certainly not what they say a “spring chicken” anymore. I need to stop myself from eating his food when he doesn’t finish his meals. My intolerance to waste (especially food) at this rate is going to end me.
While I was glued to the bed, I kept thinking about work and how many tasks I wasn’t able to do and would still need to do. I really struggled to switch off. Somehow it feels easy to tell others to take it easy when they’re unwell but when it comes to myself, I don’t know how to do it. At least, not when there are deadlines to meet!
Perhaps it’s due to the expectations I have for myself. Once I committed myself to doing x by y date, it didn’t matter that other things may come in between, x needs to be done by y date. Being sick isn’t an exception. I had a sense of relief the next day when I could get up and walk around without feeling vertigo. It meant I could work from home. And I did. But looking back, I don’t think I was being kind to myself by not letting my body properly take the rest it needs. My guilt for missing work was stronger.
This is something I need work on or I’ll risk burnout.
Interesting things I’ve come across this week:
Rethinking confidence
Confidence isn’t feeling good, confidence is about self-trust
I listened to a podcast titled: “Confidence isn’t feeling good, confidence is about self-trust” from the Good Inside by Dr Becky podcast. Dr Becky is a clinical psychologist and mom of three. She launched the podcast to help parents move from uncertainty and self-blame to confidence and what she defines as “sturdy” leadership. As a relatively new parent myself, any guidance to navigate this challenging role is more than welcome!
In this specific episode, she talks about letting emotions be the passengers rather than the driver of your car. Some emotions can feel louder and harder to ignore. They come in voices such as: “I’m so stupid”, “No one likes me” etc. It’s difficult to quiet them and to recognise in the moment that they’re not true.
Confidence isn’t a good driver when there are only positive passengers, confidence is a good driver who can stay in control even when the passengers seem out of control. It’s Someone who can be sturdy no matter what’s stirring inside them. Good or bad. Confidence is trust. Everything can coexist at once.
I love that.
Seeking out different perspectives as default
Another thing I came across this week that intrigued me came through via an email newsletter. It came with reading recommendations and for one of them, a different point of view was offered. This felt quite refreshing. Made me think how great it would be if everything we read came with different and even opposing views? Would it force us to be more open minded, empathetic, and thoughtful? I certainly believe so.
Great butt.
One last thing. I came across this image via my inbox and just fell in love with the message:
Just in case no one told you today:
Hello 👋
Good morning.
You’re doing great.
I believe in you.Great butt!
