14 May How do you hang a toilet roll? Thinking differently

Thinking outside the box

I was married before I realized that a toilet roll could be hung the ‘other’ way. It had just never occurred to me before. Because in my home, this is how it was done. Always!

I know that sounds like the weirdest statement. But in my mind (where crazy ideas intersect) that is what the moment felt like: (looking at the toilet roll hung ‘backwards’), my mind went “What?!” And then a few minutes later, “Well, why not? It still works!”

Looking at life differently

We grow up with a status quo – born out of a process, a consistent way of doing things that our parents, our teachers, our governments set in place.

One day in the future, we will talk about the advantages of systems and consistency. But for today, we are going to talk about challenging our status quo. Understanding why someone decided that this is the way we do things.

Have you ever wondered:

• Why are roads the width that they are?
• Why are steps/stairs a standard depth?
• Should bathroom stall doors open out?
• Why do we weekends?
• Why do we have on-ramps?

Because

Do you ever question whether things can be done differently? Does standardization help us? Could we do better if we changed things? Or can we understand why something is the way it is – what does it improve on? Can we take a process or logic and apply it in a different area?

Questioning the world around us expands our thinking. It allows us to play what-if games, challenge the boundaries of what is possible and feasible, create new ideas.

You can only think outside the box

if you know you are inside a box

Spend a few minutes. Close your eyes.

Now, identify 3 times in the past day where you followed a routine (coffee before bagel; always left foot first), and debate with yourself whether that is nature or nurture.

As we move into a phase of transition in the new Future of Work, creativity, flexibility and play are EQ skills that become more important. This is a great way to exercise those muscles.

So, what would happen if you did it differently?

Share your insights with the rest of us! What did you wonder today?