#Weeknotes 63 (2 Feb) — Processes in work, sibling bonding, and the implication of perceptions
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Work wise:
I took Monday and Tuesday off this week to spend time with my sister, who I haven’t seen in five years as we live on different sides of the world. Coming back to work on Wednesday, I was dreading the amount of catching up I’d need to do. But thanks to the process we put in place it wasn’t too difficult to get up to speed with the work. With the right systems in place, it felt quite smooth to get back to the work rhythm. This is reassuring as I’ll be away for a few weeks to visit family in Canada. A longer break from work means more catching up to do.
Thanks to the Kanban task tracker board we set up and the rigorous process we have in place to keep it up to date, it made a huge difference. Also rather than trying to dive nose-first into the overflowing inbox, it’s better to just chat with my teammates to stay on top of work progress more effectively. Then, I can take my time to sift through the email backlog.
Instances like this reaffirm why having good processes and governance in delivering products and services is so valuable. It saves time, gets better team alignment and collaboration, and makes accountability transparent. As a productivity nerd, I just love making processes more efficient and effective however I can.
Life wise:
It was really nice catching up with my sister, who’s nearly half my age, after being apart for so long. Being a single child for most of my childhood, thanks to China’s one-child policy, it was a bit of a shock suddenly gaining a sibling at the age of 17. I was nearly a young adult. Acquiring a sibling at this age feels awkward and strange. I wasn’t sure how to be a big sister. With such a generation age gap, can we have a proper sibling relationship?
Maybe there isn’t such a thing as a proper sibling relationship.
I don’t remember what I was like when I was her age. Things that mattered then didn’t anymore. Before our meeting, I felt anxious. I wasn’t sure how to be a good big sister. We didn’t grow up together. There’s a sense of kinship but not real closeness, especially since I moved to the UK 7 years ago and she went to a boarding school in the States. We did keep in touch via the occasional texts and the odd phone call here and there. We have little in common which makes it tricky to have lengthy conversations.
What helped to ease the anxiousness was just not thinking too hard about any of it. All relationships are unique as they’re between unique individuals. So rather than forcing a certain kind of relationship between us, it was better to just go with the flow, and what feels right. If it meant I feel my role to be a mix of a parent, sister, and aunt, then so be it. What matters is that I respect and care for her. Perhaps by being consistent, and continuously working to connect with her, our relationship can deepen or change over time. There’s no rush.
We made really great use of her short time in London spending quality time together. We baked egg tarts and cinnamon buns at home. She played with her nephew for the first time. We ate a lot of classic British food: sausage rolls, scotch eggs, scones with a cup of English breakfast, and of course fish and chips. She told me she had a wonderful time. It made me very happy. I feel us getting a bit closer. With our difference in geographical distance and life stages, I hope I won’t have to wait another few years before meeting again!
Things I came across:
Two things I came across on LinkedIn that made me think about perceptions and the implications when it differs.
“I just need a logo”
One LinkedIn post talked about how often people aren’t aware what’s involved in designing a logo, at least, in the right way. I quite like the graphic where it showed ‘logo’ as just the tip of the iceberg triangle, and that more foundational thinking around values, purpose, and mission, is required before a logo would take form.
Another fascinating post was about our perception around where carbon footprint impact is biggest versus the reality. I definitely am, or rather was, one of those who has been influenced by media coverage into thinking that recycling and hand dry clothing would make a big difference. Now that I know the reality of impact lay elsewhere, I’ll need to rethink about how I can better limit my carbon footprint.
I’ll be off to Canada visiting family for a few weeks in time for Chinese New Years. Will resume weeknotes when I return at the end of Feb.
Wish me luck on the ~10hour plane journey with a 2 year old!
