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January can feel like a bit of a let down, nothing more to celebrate, back to work, those credit card bills coming in from the Christmas shopping spree. The pretty lights and decos are packed away. No more parties. It can easily feel like a return to drudgery. Thank goodness we can all get out now! I know a lot of people who have felt quite housebound by the grim weather and missing that casual contact with their immediate community and neighbours.
Out shopping today, I noticed one or two people standing by the corner shop having a good old conversation. A really welcome change from seeing people head down, battling through the elements on some solitary survival mission. It was good to see a little bit of relaxed conversation going on around me.
Now we're back to our normal routines, I wonder if we are making enough time for conversation and relaxation in the working week or even, sadly, at weekends? Or do we just keep working, emailing, doing bills (and the dreaded Tax Return), the housework, the shopping all weekend?
Weekends are a great opportunity to reforge meaningful relationships, pursue hobbies and have relaxed conversations. And a recent study has found these pursuits to be psychologically very important.
Professor Ryan, a behavioural scientist, has recently published an article in USA Today saying that we should be careful not to crowd out these critical opportunities for bonding with others and exploring interests. He believes "These are basic psychological needs that people should be careful not to crowd out with overwork." The research goes on to say that free time is very important for our well-being. Yet many of us are still working away over the weekends.
Dan Pink, author of Drive - The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us, says "Why can’t work itself be like weekends — autonomous, self-directed pursuits that lead toward mastery and are animated by connection and purpose?" Great question!
Research by Gallup also suggests that employees are more engaged if they have a best friend at work, if managers take the time to have conversations with them, and thank them for their work. Not rocket science, you might think. Yet so many workplaces are dominated with a sense of guilt if we have relaxed conversations with others.
And we also see the sole trader business falling prey to this kind of mind-numbing isolation. A relaxed conversation with somebody can recreate a sense of purpose and motivation, and stimulate new thinking and new ideas.
If you are a business owner or manager, how could you incorporate Relaxed Conversations into the working week?
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