Got 2 mins? Send a timely, kindly message
The right words at the right time
TLDR: A small message at the right time can have a huge impact, but such messages often don’t make it out there. Life gets in the way, moments pass, intentions fade. Why don’t you schedule one, right now? A little kindness, planned, makes the world a lot better.
Word count: 302
Read time: 2 mins
A friend wished me luck for an important meeting. A short WhatsApp message. It would have taken him mere seconds to write. Yet I felt appreciated, thought of, seen, strengthened as I read it.
The idea to send a supportive message often occurs to us.
We think we’ll remember. But we usually don’t. I wish stats on this existed but they don’t and probably can’t. But my estimate of how often we do the thing we informally say we’re going to do is…10%. You say, in your head, you’re going to reply to that person, take out the rubbish, thank our host, read that article. But life barges itself in the way, pushing that very good intention first beyond your attention, then out of memory and out of mind altogether.
An there’s so much to remember! I listed some out here a few months ago. (I forgot to put the scheduling of medication on that list — what to take and when. This can serve as an invaluable record in the future to relay to medical professionals).
There’s bound to be someone you know and care about who has some event which is important to them coming up this week. Your cousin has a job interview. Your niece is performing a poem recital at school next week. Your best friend is running her first half-marathon at the weekend. Your colleague has a big presentation at work in two weeks. Your dad has a health check-up looming and he’s nervous about it.
For each of these, there’ll be a specific day (and possibly a time) when a message will have its greatest impact.
Create a timebox to send that message to that person about that upcoming thing at the right time. Put it in now. Right now!
A heap of kindness and a splash of organisation can add a little harmony to a world that needs it. Why wouldn’t you?
Ps: the offer to give you a report on your calendar usage still stands. Let me have a week-view screenshot and I’ll send you a report right away.
Marc
Links you may like
7 days of Timeboxing (the free email micro-course)
Timeboxing, the book (US)
Timeboxing, the book (UK)
Timeboxing, el libro (Español)
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