Death of the Third Place
Monday Minutes No. 11 (August 31, 2020)
Hi friends,
Have you been working from home like me since the pandemic gained traction last March? If yes, one obvious sphere that has become missing from our lives is the third place.
I started roasting quality coffee at home, but I still miss going to the local coffee shop. I realized it’s not about the coffee. It’s the vibe-- the warm light, the sight of strangers, and the conversations.
How can I have a home away from home when home and work are overlapping circles now? I guess this gave birth to random hobbies I wouldn’t have done if I wasn’t at home. Growing vegetables, drawing mandalas, and cooking A LOT.
More Meetings, Less Conversations
In the context of work, the third place has died. Everyone’s schedule is predictable almost down to the minute. No more random pantry chit chat, less after-meeting conversations, and almost no more serendipitous encounters. You look at your calendar, and you know exactly who you’ll be with in the same Google Meet or Zoom rooms for the day.
Working from home could have increased productivity and efficiency. But, it has dampened the creativity that physically working together can bring.
One Good Read
To wrap this up, I’m sharing with you the classic Paul Graham essay Maker’s Schedule, Manager’s Schedule. I realized that manager time can sometimes get in the way of maker time (e.g. I’m about to hit flow state working on an idea, but I have to run to another meeting.)
Here’s a great illustration from Sketchplanations:
Cheers to more maker time!
One question for you:
What’s the best thing you can do to improve your mood in the next five minutes?
Happy Monday,
Kiara
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