Capacity is such an interesting topic because every person’s capacity level is so unique.
Some people believe that Capacity is static, you have what you have and it doesn’t change, my experience is that Capacity both grows and shrinks. I can think of times in my life when I had to simply get more done than I thought possible, and without moving a deadline or shifting my personal responsibilities I found I was able to get it done. Equally, I have noticed that there have been times in life when I didn’t have a lot to do, this is especially relevant a year ago right now as the whole world shut down. What I found when I went back to work was that I was more tired and less productive than I had been in the same setting with the same responsibilities previously.
Capacity is created through a series of events:
One’s understanding of tasks that need to be completed, creating a plan to do so, and actually executing the plan to complete the task. The more times that you add something to your agenda, the larger your capacity will grow. Whether that be another extracurricular activity, another responsibility at work, another direct report or even another child to your family. The capacity you hold automatically grows because it has no where else to go.
Having a large capacity is useful in everyday lives because it allows you to complete the things that need to be done such as going to work, grocery shopping, making food, and doing household chores … however if your capacity stops at your needs, it means that you have no room for your wants. You get stuck and never learn to fly a drone, or do a puzzle, or get your target number of golf games in. The concept behind capacity is important in regards to creating an achievable work life balance.
When you create a good and healthy work life balance that is within your capacity it helps nurture and grow your love for both work and extracurricular activities. This balance helps encourage you to be present where you are; growing productivity, relationships and goals in both areas.
How is your work life balance? Are you utilizing your whole capacity right now? Do you perhaps need to grow your capacity? Or on the other hand have you overdone it to a breaking point, are you drowning in Zoom Fatigue and allowing your 9 to 5 to creep into an 8 to 8. Take a minute today to evaluate where you are: how you can grow your capacity into sustainable cycles and make sure you include some you time. You need it in order to achieve all you are aiming to accomplish in this great game called life.
Author: Dave MacDonald
President, Better Together Group
