The Meaningful Work Newsletter is brought to you by Philosophy2u. Each edition aims to bring substance and insight to your life. There are no shortcuts to meaningfulness. So enjoy the long-form content over a nice cup of tea or coffee! If you're not subscribed to our mailing list, you can do so below. You can also join the conversation in our dedicated LinkedIn group and use the Archive to check out past newsletters on perennial topics, such as wellbeing, distraction, courage, and happiness. Dr Todd Mei Editor |
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Content for October 2023 Our focus this month is Overthinking. What Is Overthinking? Practice: Overcoming Overthinking & Procrastination Ideation: Do-Thinking (Phronesis) Guest Column: Releasing Resentment: Lessons from Stoicism and Epicureanism by Patricia A. Baker, PhD
~ “Stoicism helped me recognize that life is painful. Yet, learning to understand why a painful situation occurred and what I was doing to make it persist, helped me find the peace to move forward.” |
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What Is Overthinking? “I will illustrate my meaning by the jest of the witty maid-servant, who saw Thales tumbling into a well, and said of him, that he was so eager to know what was going on in heaven, that he could not see what was before his feet.”
Plato, Theaetetus (174A) * * * * *
The capability to think and reason is not always a blessing. Overthinking a decision or course of action can not only cause delays but can be counterproductive. Here are 5 kinds of overthinking to which you or your organization might have fallen victim.
Over-analyzing It’s not just spending too much time with the details of a project, it’s eventually losing sight of the bigger picture or not being able to see the forest for the trees – pick your metaphor! Over-analysis can be kept at bay by creating and sticking to clear milestones. Collecting too much data or information Academics are familiar with this vice. With the aim of creating the most informed results or argument, academics often spend way too much time compiling information. More is not always better, and collecting data can cause severe setbacks to progress. Resolving this vice often involves rehearsing the main aim or argument of a project – do you have enough to make a concise and compelling case? Dithering It’s a form of multitasking or switching between tasks to avoid finishing the most important ones. Dithering can also take the form of procrastination. In either case, one of the root problems is the inability “to get stuck in”. To make a start, just sit down and start writing notes, even if it’s a stream-of-consciousness process. What you’ll find is that the notes offer a point of reference to get you started. Incontinence, or weakness of will Overestimating the power of thought just because you have reasoned something out does not mean it will be done. Incontinence is the lack of will to make ideas happen. As Joe Smart points out in his column below, breaking a project down into smaller steps often provides the inertia breaker. Over-emphasizing difference Sometimes we can overthink our distinction from other members of a team, or even our competition. By mentally setting oneself apart from others, you can end up stifling your value. Yes, you are unique, but be sure that your self-perception does not exclude you from getting into the mix, whether it’s finding meaningful connections or even getting involved in a healthy competition. Don’t let your brain be the drain on your vital project! |
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Practice: Overcoming Overthinking & Procrastination Time waits for no one, and in the world of business, it's essential to make the most of every moment. We're going to delve into two significant hurdles that impact business performance: overthinking and procrastination. Both are prevalent in the business world, and it's time we learned how to conquer them effectively. The Dangers of Overthinking In the realm of business, overthinking can be a silent killer of productivity and innovation. It's the act of excessively analyzing situations, often leading to a state of paralysis where you're stuck in a never-ending cycle of what-ifs. The impact of overthinking can be severe, causing heightened anxiety, impairing decision-making, and diminishing intuitive problem-solving capabilities. Moreover, it can decrease overall happiness, manifest physically as chronic pain and digestive issues, disrupt creativity and sleep patterns, and damage interpersonal relationships. In short, overthinking is a productivity roadblock that businesses can't afford. Unlocking the Potential of the Business Brain To conquer overthinking in a business context, we first need to understand how our brains operate in a corporate environment. We can draw valuable insights from “The Chimp Paradox” by Dr. Steve Peters. The book introduces the idea that individuals, as well as organizations, possess multiple “brains” that influence decision-making and behavior. |
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Exercising the Business Monkey Brain Just as in our personal lives, we must acknowledge that in business, we can't outthink the chimp brain when it takes control. If it's triggered by stress, fear, or other factors, it overrides rational thinking and leads to impulsive decisions. The key to regaining control is to let the chmip brain exercise itself. In a business context, this means allowing team members to vent, express their concerns, and work through emotional responses to challenging situations. Once the chimp brain exhausts itself, the more rational human brain takes the reins, allowing for better decision-making. Breaking Free from Business Overthinking Overthinking in the business world can be a persistent and counterproductive cycle. The three brains engage in ceaseless chatter about potential scenarios, often leading to excessive rumination and unnecessary concerns. Breaking free from this cycle involves adopting a pragmatic approach. Ask questions like “So what if this happens? What's the next step?” Allow irrational thoughts and extend scenarios to the point of absurdity, so it's clear how unproductive they are. This strategy can help businesses make decisions more efficiently and avoid getting bogged down in overthinking. Tackling Overthinking in Organizations Large organizations, with their intricate structures and countless decision points, are particularly susceptible to overthinking. It can lead to cultures of endless rumination, decision paralysis, and a fixation on worst-case scenarios. As Organizational Design and Development (OD) practitioners, it's our role to help businesses break free from this debilitating pattern. The Power of Good Enough To counteract overthinking in organizations, we should introduce the concept of ”good enough.” Understand that not every decision or project needs to be perfect; it just needs to be sufficient to move to the next phase. Perfectionism can paralyze progress and hinder growth. By focusing on reaching a ”good enough" level, businesses can take timely action and adjust course as needed. The ”Do Nothing” Scenario When presenting business cases or making critical decisions, it's essential to thoroughly evaluate the ”do nothing” scenario. This entails looking at the consequences of maintaining the status quo. In business, as in life, there's risk in every choice. Sometimes, the most significant risk is doing nothing at all. A well-thought-out ”do nothing” scenario can illustrate the potential harm of inaction and motivate the organization to move forward. A Step-by-Step Approach In business, as in personal life, taking small, deliberate steps is a powerful strategy for overcoming overthinking. Businesses can mitigate risk and build momentum by adopting a step-by-step approach. For organizational development, this might mean implementing changes incrementally and reviewing progress at regular intervals. It allows teams to assess the impact of their decisions, learn from their experiences, and make course corrections as necessary. ~ Overthinking and procrastination are challenges faced by individuals and organizations alike. In the business world, they can be detrimental to productivity and progress. By understanding how our brains work, exercising the chimp brain, and adopting a pragmatic approach to decision-making, we can break free from the chains of overthinking and unlock our potential. Businesses can embrace the ”good enough” mindset, consider the do-nothing scenario, and take a step-by-step approach to realize their goals. Overcoming these hurdles is a key step toward achieving success and prosperity in the ever-evolving world of business. Joseph Smart OD&D Consultant, Smart Joseph Consulting joe@smartjoseph.com |
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Ideation: Do-Thinking (Phronesis) Far from being a self-help type of idea, Do-Thinking is a way to highlight the reasoning process specific to practical action. Sound a bit strange? It is for the English-speaking world since our vocabulary tends not to recognize different forms of thinking which have distinct natures, processes, and ends. But if we go back to ancient Greek philosophy, we find some very interesting accounts of different types of reasoning. I’ve taken Do-Thinking from the ancient Greek term phronesis, whose Latin translation is prudence, or prudential reasoning. The Greek term is more direct and explicit in conveying the importance of practical reasoning and how to apply it. To get an idea of how important this distinction is, consider that for the likes of Aristotle what most of us often engage in when overthinking a problem or project is a form of theoretical reasoning. In other words, we preoccupy ourselves with the ins and outs of details. And even though planning a major project involves practicality, the planning process can turn overly complicated if we become bogged down by endlessly running through theories or scenarios when accounting for things like execution risk, down-chain risk, and so on. Phronesis, in contrast, is a form of situational reasoning that tries to be flexible and sensitive to interpretive problems and contexts without losing hold of the main focus or goal. In my own work, I’ve tried to take as much from the idea of phronesis and apply it in the world of everyday life. Here are some key principles to bear in mind. Phronesis involves: Openness to new information and experiences Readiness to adjust and plan Prospection on potential consequences of change and adjustment Justification for committing to a course of action in view of the above Sensitivity to consequences and the capability to explain and sympathize with others
Whether you call it Do-Thinking or phronesis, you’ll see that it’s not just about practical reasoning but also a kind of practical wisdom. Without the latter, you wouldn’t be able to adjust to and act mindful of specific contexts and factors. Take the issue of remote work. A recent study noted that remote working conditions have seen a steady decline from 18% of the workforce nationwide in 2021 to 13% in 2022. In view of this trend, if you’re an HR executive, you should be asking yourself what the best model of work is for the organization. Best practice involves a great many factors, and you might be tempted to assume it simply means meeting the bottom line. For example, keeping remote working may depend on the cost savings in rent and office overhead. But the issue of whether or not to use remote working as a model involves matters of staff morale, progression, loyalty, and personal development. Working in-person has immense developmental benefits that help drive a healthier and more sustainable business. |
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Phronesis, or Do-Thinking, is a way of assessing and re-assessing what is best for both the company and the health of the organization. It doesn’t just rely on theorizing or drawing on the latest empirical studies concerning work; rather, it is open to a broader landscape of work-life experience, which may lie beyond simple worker testimony. Workers may unanimously express the desire for remote work due to less commute time and having more personal time, but thinking phonetically examines (for example) how this desire may itself be a product of a working culture that needs improvement. Remoteness or absence from the work culture is not going to really improve things. In fact, it may cover up huge questions that need to be answered. Don’t avoid the issues. Do-Thinking can help by means of focusing on defining the situational context more carefully and thus setting up the best conditions from which one can identify a goal . . . and of course, just do it!
Dr Todd Mei
Founder and Consultant for Philosophy2u tsmei@philosophy2u.com |
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Releasing Resentment: Lessons from Stoicism and Epicureanism The most significant improvement for me since leaving my former academic job just over 3 years ago was learning to release the past after having my sense of self-worth eroded by many years of working in an unhealthy environment. In moving on, I knew that holding on to the past would prevent me from living a creative, healthy, and happy life. Any bitterness would only be detrimental to my wellbeing and it would keep me tied to the situation. From the many blogs, articles, and social media posts I read, a seeming majority of people who decide to leave academia do so because they are exhausted by injurious working conditions. It appears that academia is not unique since, as reported in last month’s Meaningful Work Newsletter, a recent Gallup poll revealed that while people enjoy their work, a significant percentage are unhappy with their workplace. Under such corrosive conditions self-esteem is shattered, and being consumed by stress, acrimony, and anger is common. In my own case, as a classicist, I found solace in Stoicism and Epicureanism to help me overcome the trap of negativity. |
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To put it far too simply, Stoicism helped me recognize that life is painful. Yet, learning to understand why a painful situation occurred and what I was doing to make it persist, helped me find the peace to move forward. Through Epicureanism, it became acceptable for me to leave a damaging situation after holding on to what I felt were my obligations to the discipline. This philosophy promotes the belief that there is no afterlife and that to live a good life — the only life one gets — one should avoid pain. So, to be content, Epicureanism insists that we sometimes have to remove ourselves from cruel conditions for our own benefit. The ways I interpreted and employed these philosophies are as follows: Learn your lesson from the experience Be honest and ask yourself why you might be putting a detrimental situation ahead of your personal wellbeing. Learning from my own experience: As someone who always takes their responsibilities seriously, I did not want to let my students, department, or university down. Ultimately, I felt entirely responsible for how the department functioned. Yet, I came to understand that I was not solely accountable for it. If I had not come to these understandings, then I would likely end up in a similar situation. Move away Epicureanism emphasizes removing yourself from harm. I took this step even further. Not only did I leave the institution, I left the region. I moved from the UK back home to the States. I knew that there would be too many painful reminders if I remained in close proximity to the institution, and it would likely lead to me dwelling on the past. While physical relocation may not be an option for most people, you can remove yourself from toxic virtual spaces. Leaving email lists and deleting people from social media can go a long way in providing peace of mind. Surround yourself with virtuous people who are respectful of themselves and others I am very fortunate this year to have had the opportunity to work on projects (usually outside of my immediate workplace) with people who are friendly, creative, responsible, intelligent, and fun. I was also asked to teach in a department and independent high school that promotes mutual respect. Remember, no one is perfect We all have things to learn throughout our lives, so it is beneficial for personal wellbeing to view the situation as a form of self-improvement and growth rather than berating oneself over what could or should have been done. In some respects, this exercise can even be fun! |
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Although everyone will find their own means of dealing with their circumstances, I think the two questions one needs to ask when trying to avoid making the same mistakes are Remember, “misery loves company,” so do you want to be friends with it or escape from its grips? A Stoic would likely be very happy with your choice to engage with yourself and situations in an openly honest manner; and an Epicurean would be delighted that you found a way to live a life with less pain and moved on to develop yourself and live a good life surrounded by beautiful people and places rather than one filled with resentment. This blog was originally posted on Pax in Natura. About the Author Dr. Patty Baker is founder of Pax in Natura, whose mission is to use the exploration of historical ideas and practices to bring together people from around the world to share ideas, discuss concerns, and find novel solutions that can change attitudes and practices to resolve today's environmental crises. She specializes in bringing the history and archaeology of ancient health, gardens, and the environment to a global audience of any age and background. Pax in Natura offers workshops, seminars, and bespoke consultation. |
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