Using Kanban to schedule family-friendly work projects so that workaholics can spend more quality time with their families while still working
Image credit: Gospel Media
Darko SavicMay 05, 2022
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A habit that helps workaholics spend more quality time with their families while also working. Using kanban to plan projects that include the entire family, are fun but also get work done.
Why?
A system that helps workaholics maintain a better work-family balance.
A few assumptions on workaholism (copied from this challenge):
A workaholic finds joy/satisfaction in getting work done.
They are hyperfocused on what they do and love it. Could autism be the reason?
When not working, they think about work and subconsciously crave returning to it.
Inability to work makes them unhappy.
Doing anything other than work is considered a short break before they can return to what they "live for".
As a result of their absence, their family and social lives suffer.
The partner didn't sign up to be "alone" in the relationship while the workaholic is absent most of the time. Over time, they become increasingly resentful of the workaholic partner and grow increasingly unhappy about the situation.
The kids are growing up with an absent workaholic parent. They get used to it but it leaves a permanent mark on their psyche (self-confidence?).
The workaholic sees things differently. "I will just get this done and then personal life can proceed." In reality it never does. If work ever gets completed, new work is necessary to give their life meaning/joy.
In theory a workaholic wants a partner, family, and social life, but in practice needs to work.
As depicted in the header image, the lives of workaholics have a tendency to end in loneliness and misery once they become unfit to work.
How it works
While an app, a calendar, or a simple notebook would suffice, a shared kanban board would be perfect. Family members can contribute ideas and participate in planning from the comfort of their own devices.
You create a board with 4 columns:
ideas for family projects
soon
tomorrow
done
The ideas column is your repository of ideas. You pull the ones that everyone likes into the "soon" column. Whenever you can, but at the very minimum once per week schedule it with the family and pull one into the "tomorrow" column. The rest is self explanatory:)
Principles to follow
Resist the need to do everything efficiently when working with family. Accept chaos in the process. You can fix stuff when the family is not watching:)
Envision each project to be 80% about the family having fun and 20% about getting things done.
Never, ever postpone a project once it's been scheduled.
Make sure you include the family in your work at least once per week.
I assume that this idea would be initiated/maintained by a workaholic, but it doesn't have to be that way. The rest of the family can take the initiative and come up with projects to keep the workaholic interested. They keep it going on a regular basis and make the workaholic promise to help. The end result is the same. The family spends more quality time together while the workaholic isn't silently suffering in the process.
p.s. This isn't meant to be a replacement for workaholics taking breaks and doing non-work-related stuff with their family and friends. This idea is meant to sneak more family time into a workaholic's schedule.
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General comments
Goran Radanovic2 years ago
I can see all parties benefitting from this. The workaholic might get a bit competitive to outdo the rest of the family, but at least he/she is grooming the rest to become a workaholic.
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Miloš Stanković2 years ago
Some activities proposed in this challenge would be entertaining and simple enough for the kids to want to participate.
Darko Savic May 05, 2022
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Please leave the feedback on this idea