Knowledge workers sometimes need a mental break
Royal Bank Bakeries. IBM Woodworkers. PricewaterhouseCoopers Cleaning. Never heard of those divisions?
Well, that’s because they don’t exist. But they really should. Every organization in the country that employs knowledge workers needs to set up a Mindless Tasks for Tired Brains (MTTB) department.
It should consist of a woodworking shop, a fully equipped kitchen and a closet full of cleaning supplies, at a minimum.
Because, let’s face it, knowledge workers can’t always be “on.” Sometimes you just show up at work and your brain, for whatever reason, isn’t functioning at a high level. You’re mentally tapped, emotionally exhausted and the last thing you want to do is start some in-depth strategic planning or start solving a complicated problem.
But you’re not tired. So the idea of heading down to the MTTB, swinging a hammer, attaching some nuts and bolts and sawing some two by fours and plywood is appealing.
Not handy? No problem. Fire up the oven and start mixing some dough.
Can’t bake? Heck. Grab a vacuum and start pushing it around the office. Anything where you can take your mind off your normal job for a few hours and recharge.
Employers needn’t view this as wasted time. They can put the fruits of this labour up for sale. Imagine the next time you walk into your bank branch. You can deposit your cheque, pay a bill, pick up a loaf of bread and a birdhouse.
(And this isn’t a knock on the contractors, bakers and cleaners of the world. The part-time meddling of some burned-out knowledge workers won’t be able to touch the workmanship of professionals. Heck, it could even be a two-way street. While knowledge workers are hammering, cooking and sweeping, displaced contractors, bakers and cleaners can spend some time giving their muscles a break by thinking strategically and trouble-shooting, giving organizations some fresh thinking and opinions.)
When I was in university, I spent my summers building Dodge Caravans and Plymouth Voyagers at Chrysler’s assembly plant in Windsor, Ont. During one particularly mind-numbing summer, I spent seven hours a day, six days a week attaching an emergency break cable that ran from the back of the van to the front.
It involved taking six screws and six brackets and attaching the cable, working from the back of the van to the front, and then checking one little part to make sure it was functioning properly. After a few weeks of practice, I could finish one van in exactly 17 seconds.
It was monotonous. It was repetitive. It allowed me to completely shut down and recharge my brain from the beating it had taken in the lecture halls. In short, it was the ultimate summer gig.
So get out the hammers. Install some ovens. Get approval for funding the MTTB from the executive team. But don’t ask me for help. I’ve got some bread to bake.
Well, that’s because they don’t exist. But they really should. Every organization in the country that employs knowledge workers needs to set up a Mindless Tasks for Tired Brains (MTTB) department.
It should consist of a woodworking shop, a fully equipped kitchen and a closet full of cleaning supplies, at a minimum.
Because, let’s face it, knowledge workers can’t always be “on.” Sometimes you just show up at work and your brain, for whatever reason, isn’t functioning at a high level. You’re mentally tapped, emotionally exhausted and the last thing you want to do is start some in-depth strategic planning or start solving a complicated problem.
But you’re not tired. So the idea of heading down to the MTTB, swinging a hammer, attaching some nuts and bolts and sawing some two by fours and plywood is appealing.
Not handy? No problem. Fire up the oven and start mixing some dough.
Can’t bake? Heck. Grab a vacuum and start pushing it around the office. Anything where you can take your mind off your normal job for a few hours and recharge.
Employers needn’t view this as wasted time. They can put the fruits of this labour up for sale. Imagine the next time you walk into your bank branch. You can deposit your cheque, pay a bill, pick up a loaf of bread and a birdhouse.
(And this isn’t a knock on the contractors, bakers and cleaners of the world. The part-time meddling of some burned-out knowledge workers won’t be able to touch the workmanship of professionals. Heck, it could even be a two-way street. While knowledge workers are hammering, cooking and sweeping, displaced contractors, bakers and cleaners can spend some time giving their muscles a break by thinking strategically and trouble-shooting, giving organizations some fresh thinking and opinions.)
When I was in university, I spent my summers building Dodge Caravans and Plymouth Voyagers at Chrysler’s assembly plant in Windsor, Ont. During one particularly mind-numbing summer, I spent seven hours a day, six days a week attaching an emergency break cable that ran from the back of the van to the front.
It involved taking six screws and six brackets and attaching the cable, working from the back of the van to the front, and then checking one little part to make sure it was functioning properly. After a few weeks of practice, I could finish one van in exactly 17 seconds.
It was monotonous. It was repetitive. It allowed me to completely shut down and recharge my brain from the beating it had taken in the lecture halls. In short, it was the ultimate summer gig.
So get out the hammers. Install some ovens. Get approval for funding the MTTB from the executive team. But don’t ask me for help. I’ve got some bread to bake.
