Back to Basics with Michael Riegel

Back to Basics

In trying times or periods of turmoil and uncertainty, there can be a tendency to feel exasperated or disjointed. For many, me included, there is a preference for order and predictability. We work in a structured industry. Beyond the physical structures, we are built on logical thinking, procedures, means, and methods. In chaotic situations, our ability to be productive is challenged.

I have felt a sense of uneasiness and discord over the last several weeks and months. I have found that returning to and focusing on the elemental building blocks has been helpful. Too often we favor complex approaches over the simple. This has been a dynamic I have recognized and fought throughout my career. I find a certain elegance in simple and clean solutions. Here are a few ways to strip away the extraneous and complicated.

Be Reliable

In your interactions with friends, family and colleagues, display the kind of predictability you seek. Show up in a positive and consistent manner that will support others in the way they need you to show up. Walk the walk and talk the talk!

Speak Up

Advocate for yourself and your needs. In difficult periods there can be a tendency to shrink away from individual needs. Empathy and sympathy are important. Put your own air mask on first. Not in a selfish or self-centered way. This is about selfcare and self-preservation.

Details Matter

Placing some renewed focus on details can help bring some sense of normalcy. In an environment where the big picture is unclear, dealing with the smaller and more manageable tasks can be comforting and breed a sense of productivity.

Opportunities Abound

A shift in mindset is often the trick to unlocking potential. While many see challenges, recognizing that a challenge to one person is an opportunity for someone else. We don’t root for negative events. However, in the same way that “good news is not good for everyone”, there will be opportunity in chaos.

Go to Bed Smarter

Recently, many people have engaged in a media blackout or a limited news intake. Doom scrolling is real and unhelpful, even disrupting sleep patterns, attitudes, and interpersonal relationships. Find a podcast that engages rather than triggers. Find a good book, any book. Take a few minutes each day to learn something new or feed your curiosity.

I’d like to say that I do all these consistently. Some days are better than others. My personal practice includes daily calls with my kids. Finding music that matches my mood. To bring some light and warmth to cold and dark days (metaphorically and physically), I have recently engaged people in my network for short conversations about asking good questions, learning something new, and being kind. It has been very rewarding and energizing.

Feel free to email me for my personal podcast or book recommendations. Check out the conversations I post on LinkedIn and know that anyone is welcome to join me for a Wonder, Wisdom & Warmth discussion.

Email Michael here. 
Learn more about Michael here.
Call Michael at 516-238-0859.