Take time to reflect on a job well done

Published on Sunday 2 March 2008 20:47

AFTER a morning spent crafting an e-mail and marking up changes to a lengthy document, only a quick spellcheck and the "send" button stands between me and lunch.

I "cc" in everyone who could possibly get offended about not being copied in and it's off. I sink back into my chair, despair at the mass of paper I've accumulated and turn my head to cheerier contemplation such as which sandwich shop I will go to today. With my mind distracted by Sainsbury's prawn and avocado versus Pret's crayfish and rocket, I make the most cardinal of pre-lunch mistakes. I reach over and hit the refresh button on my computer and, lo and behold, I've had a response to my e-mail already.

It must have been wonderful in the good old days when you could pop something in the post and take a fortnight in the Algarve before anyone would be back in touch. None of this nonsense of sending a hundred-plus pages at 10am and expecting comments back by noon. The electronic age requires us to work at a faster pace than ever before and technology makes us more contactable that ever before. Holidays are no longer considered sacred. The news of someone being on annual leave is immediately followed with the question: "Will they have their BlackBerry with them?"

All too often, we find we are finished with one task and on to the next – in order to meet a seemingly insatiable consumer demand. People don't just want to buy their shopping online, they want it delivered, cooked and served yesterday so that it is already working its way through their digestive system by the time they've entered their credit card details to complete the purchase.

Even the great old British favourite – the queue – could become a thing of the past with the arrival of self-service machines in supermarkets, banks and airports. "Reclaim your lunch hour", as one high street bank puts it. I am not even sure that people still have an hour for their lunch.

A couple of months ago, I had the chance to try archery. A sport of great history, precision and requiring the utmost concentration. Given the obvious hazard of sharp, pointy rods being fired at considerable speed, there is a strict protocol to be followed. You can shoot your set of three arrows very quickly, but it is only when the others shooting in the same direction have completed their set that you venture towards the target and properly assess how well you've done. You retrieve your arrows and await everyone being safely behind the firing line before preparing to point and shoot again.

It is a procedure designed for physical safety, but in a world where we have to run just to stand still, I wonder if we ought to have a similar procedure in our lives for our own mental and emotional safety?

We often barely notice what we've achieved or the journey to get there. Job done, box ticked – and what's next? We don't celebrate our successes and prefer to pacify a bad day with new shoes or the latest i-Gizmo.

The learning process from experience is nothing without making time for reflection. We could all usefully take five minutes every day to think about what we've accomplished and what has challenged us. It might make the difference next time between hitting the target and shooting yourself in the foot.

&#149 Samara Shah is a solicitor with Standard Life. The column reflects a personal view.