I work used to work in NYC at a tech startup.
Ironic since a couple months ago I published Professionalism in Flip Flops, a manifesto about life and business that sarcastically depicts a necktie on the front cover.
After 30 days of waking and crashing I’d like to share what a “real job” is like, and more importantly what you can do about improving yours.
Be Routine-less
Initially it seemed like a good idea to make the same coffee every morning, pack the same crap for lunch, and listen to the same version of Free Fallin’ (John Mayer) as I sat down at my desk.
I’ve since realized that I also got the same urge to run to the bathroom, the same notion of nutritional dissatisfaction, and the same low-key state of depression.
Now I make a game at disrupting the routine. Sometimes I read a book on the train, other times I sleep or space out or write in my journal. Sometimes I pack tuna, other days I walk to a pizza place and scarf down the good old swine. #YOLO.
As for sleep? I might awake at 7a with no desire other than an early office arrival. But occasionally I’m irresponsible and I watch The Wire until 3a, rendering me physically useless at 7a. No problem. I boot up the computer at home and walk to the train a bit later.
Your schedule may not be like mine, but the same idea applies: shake it up, or someday you’ll wake up and want to kill yourself. Just ask a dentist.
Clear Your Inbox
I’m a huge fan of Inbox Zero. It’s basically the idea that you should deal with everything — beyond the inbox and into life — as it presents itself. But to be practical, the movement focuses specifically on clearing your email inbox.
I haven’t had more than 15-25 emails in my inbox for over 2 years. Partially thanks to Tim Ferriss, the mental clutter associated with 25+ nagging messages by people who depend on me is not something I can handle anymore.
So I kill everything. Each email in my inbox is processed within 2 days. If an item needs more time I set up a meeting between parties and move it to a folder. But it cannot sit in my inbox.
If your inbox is always full, do something about it. If there’s too much going on during the week, spend a couple hours playing catch-up on Saturday. It’s not about doing more work, it’s about improving the quality of your life by reducing mental clutter. You won’t regret it.
Seek Forgiveness, Not Permission
Chain of command is great and I really respect the United States Marine Corps. But most of us don’t work for a drill sergeant or make life-or-death decisions with an M4.
By the nature of white-collar professions, much of what we do is strategic and requires more thought than action. I participate in lots of meetings and discussions about the theory behind an idea, rather than the actions required to make it a reality. And that’s fine.
But if you so dare to enlighten your peers by taking action before approving a theory, that’s OK too. The worst that could happen is you hurt your company’s reputation or hemorrhage thousands of dollars in sales. Kidding.
Real talk: In my first 30 days I already a) broke my company’s website (twice), b) misrepresented our services to a customer , and c) made an edgy comment on social media from the company account. If that’s not enough, then d) my boss reads this blog. Hey Ed.
Mistakes are OK, as long as you learn from them. A good leader will celebrate your overcoming a former misunderstanding rather than penalize you for making it in the first place.
Maybe it’s because we live in an increasingly digital world, but almost everything you can possibly do wrong is reversible. Bad tweet? Delete it. Guarantee an insane deliverable to a client? Apologize profusely. Break a piece of equipment? Buy another or get insurance.
As I watch my friends (you guys) get “real jobs” and define the meaning of life, just know that I’m fighting the same good fight and am here to share the experience.
Have a great week, and Happy Moonday.