• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Show Search
Hide Search
Clare Kumar | Inclusive & Sustainable Performance
1-855-356-FLOW (3569) | Contact
  • Speaking
  • Coaching
  • Products
  • Programs
    • Thrive Sessions
    • Work From Home – Better
    • Rituals – 5 week program
  • Happy Space
    • Thrive Circles
    • Podcast
  • Blog
  • Media
    • Speaker Media Kit
  • About

Arrange

Walking Into a Glass Wall and Why I Can Point a Finger at Poor Design

Cover Image of "The Design of Everyday Things" by Don Norman

 

I wrote the post below back in 2014, but the lesson is timeless so I’m bringing it back.
This incident happened the day after meeting the iconic Don Norman who teaches that it can be poor design rather than human error that contributes to things going wrong. In this story, I can see that it is both. You’ll have to let me know what you think!

***********
Original Post

This morning, I walked full speed ahead into a glass wall. A glass wall I knew of. A glass wall I even anticipated someone walking into, I just didn’t think it would be me.  It wasn’t pretty. Unlike Martha Stewart, I will spare you the photo.

So you know how this story will end, but allow me to back up a bit to explain how I got there. Yesterday I had a full day planned. Full of good things – a walk with my dog, lunch with inspiring entrepreneurs, delivery of a quick but meaningful productivity primer at the Women in Biz Conference, time to read the beginning of “Thrive” by Arianna Huffington while taking the subway (and reveling in NOT being stuck on our sadly in need of repair Gardiner “Expressway”, a complete misnomer for the next two years), an hour to sit in the sun and get creative, dinner and meeting fellow organizers in Toronto, and the highlight for me, listening to Don Norman, esteemed thought leader and author of “The Design of Everyday Things” in discussion at the Rotman School of Business. It’s my desire to have Pliio® become an “everyday thing” so you can imagine how interested I was to hear him speak.

I don’t often have insomnia (thankfully), but last night my mind was on fire after listening to Don’s talk and reading “Thrive” so I ended up awake for over half an hour in the middle of the night. Despite the lack of sleep, I was eager to attend my regular 8 am yoga class with a teacher who I respect for his breadth of knowledge, how he practices what he preaches, his sense of humour, and his redefinition, for me, of the term “hot” yoga.  Have a peek at www.mryoga.com where you can meet Daniel and discover a wealth of information on how to practice yoga.

The class was wonderful – working out the kinks (my word for pain in muscles I didn’t know I had) of a conditioning workout I did with Brent Bishop and his crew on Saturday morning over at Think Fitness.  We finished as we normally do with a restorative, mind-cleansing Shavasana also known as the far less elegant sounding ‘corpse pose’. Whether I’m getting better at the meditative state or whether, more likely, it was my bout of insomnia last night, I came out of the class feeling a little out of this world.

I had a regular client scheduled across town for 10 am, so knew I had to move quickly this morning to make it there after class. Being a bit time pressured, I decided to change my route on the way out of the gym. I normally wash my hands before leaving, but figured I’d head home quickly and get ready there so I made my way straight to the gates.

The gym where I work out is in a corporate office building with a lovely atrium over the stairs. When the gym was renovated recently, they built glass walls around the atrium to preserve light (which I love). The shortest way to leave the gym is around the atrium and through the cardio area to the entrance gates. I came down this wide hallway, narrowed by the recent placement of exercise balls (storage always seems to be a challenge in the gym, but that’s another story).

I could see the gates right in front of me and walked purposefully towards them.  Head up, not texting, not distracted by something at my side, eyes forward. In fact, eyes forward gazing directly at the parking ticket machine into which I needed to put my receipt. The only thing is, I forgot to take the sharp left, through the too narrower passageway that actually gets you there.

Instead, I tried to come through this “wall”.

 

I hit the glass so hard, it shook and triggered the alarm which immediately called the police. I dropped to the ground, my nose bleeding.

While getting cleaned up and speaking with the police (who were definitely amused), I learned that I am not the only one to have made this mistake. At least five other people had walked into the same wall.

Wait, what? They knew this and nothing was done?

One of the concepts Don talked about was that accidents happen, but often not why you think they do.  Often design plays a part in guiding a person to move a certain way.

If you notice the floor, the edges of the hallway are marked on the left side. Today, the hallway no longer goes that way.  The dark line is a subtle cue to guide you in that directly. With the renovation, this wasn’t updated.  Glass walls block the commercial-sized hallway, and you must rather travel through a residential-sized passageway into the cardio area to get to the gates. So why write about this?

I am suggesting a few things, all of which could have been avoided, combined into a rather unfortunate experience for my nose this morning. And when something goes wrong, it’s always worth learning from.  Here they are, not necessarily in order of importance:

1. Lack of time 

2. Lack of rest

3. Change of routine

4. Poor design

This brings me right back to Don’s presentation and the concept he shares on page 14 of his book. Don created the term “signifiers” for communicating “where the action should take place”.  We count on cues to tell us how to use things – whether to push or pull on a door, for example.  Signifiers are important for the clear-minded, well-rested folks among us, but even more important for the sleep-deprived, distracted, crew that abounds.

I can find many other examples where errors have emerged because of time pressures and changes in routine.  I have already blogged about two examples. “Losing” my car and the unfortunate occurrence of forgetting a child in the car [both of which I will be reposting soon].   Don’s book is full of design examples, and Arianna’s book starts off talking about accidents due to lack of sleep.

What have you noticed?  What have you learned? What can you share with us? On my to-do list for tomorrow – buy flowers as a thank you to the staff who took care of me this morning. I am praying there is no video to go viral.

 

UPDATE – March 26, 2015

I pursued getting the problem fixed and asked Goodlife to etch the glass so no one would miss seeing it in future. t took almost a year, but I’m happy to say that pursuing this safety improvement paid off.

Etching of Goodlife logo on glass wall

 

Filed Under: Arrange, Business Organizing, Design, Nurture, Time Management

LG Home Office Makeover Contest

Clare Kumar being interviewed by CP24 host, George Lagogianes
CP24 Host, George Lagogianes interviewing Clare Kumar

You’ve likely heard me say you can’t have optimal productivity without paying attention to your wellbeing. If you’ve been working at a less than optimal home office and you live in the Greater Toronto Area (City of Toronto, regional municipalities of Durham, Halton, Peel, and York), you won’t want to miss this opportunity to level up your office to a comfortable, inspiring, and productive space.

Bell Media is sponsoring this contest and LG is providing prizes worth $6,000 including two fabulous new products – see more below! – and a consultation with me to bring both fashion and functionality to your home workspace. After all, you deserve an office that feels good! Here is a link to the segment where George Lagogianes and I chat about it.

Submit your photos via email to: LGhomeofficemakeover@cp24.com

Title the email: Home Office Makeover

Be sure to include:
– Name
– Address
– Phone number

Entry Deadline: Monday, October 25, 2021 – 11:59 pm EDT

Find all the contest details here.

 

Here’s an overview of what you can win!

 

Home Office Design Consultation

I’ll be working with the winner using my Four Step P.L.A.N.™ to redesign the winning office.

Here are the steps to think about if you’re tackling this on your own:

P – Prioritize – a) how do you want to spend your time in your office, and b) how do you want the office to feel?

L – Liberate – What is currently in the space that no longer serves these priorities? Relocate these items to a more suitable location, donate them for someone else to enjoy, or dispose of responsibly, recycling when possible.

A – Arrange – Select furniture, tools, storage solutions, and accessories to create a functional and fashionable space. Incorporate inspiring art and colour to add style to your space.

N – Nurture – Identify what you need to do to keep your office feeling good and functioning well. This might mean tidying up at regular intervals, encouraging others to stop leaving random items in your space, or employing a “one in, one out” rule.

 

 

Two exciting new LG products:

LG gram 16″ 2-in-1 Ultralightweight Laptop

For a powerful, easy t0 take anywhere laptop, take a look at the LG gram line of computers. Included in this prize pack is this 16″ ultralightweight laptop featuring a sleek compact design, Gorilla® Glass, touch display, and the Intel® EVO™ platform which means you can count on it to include high-performing processing, graphics, battery life, and more.

For more details and information on where you can purchase yours, visit this  LG site.

 

 

laptop computer in stand mode with screen visible and keyboard folded underneath
Displayed in “stand mode”

 

 

LG gram 16" 2-in-1 slender side profile
LG gram 16″ 2-in-1 slender profile

 

LG UltraWide Ergo 34″ Monitor

 

LG UltraWide Ergo Monitor
LG UltraWide Ergo Monitor

 

Declutter your desk by consolidating two screens into one ultra-wide surface complete with the space-saving C-clamp. The screen’s 21:9 ratio will accommodate both video and a text document at the same time, making tasks like editing and participating in your next Zoom meeting more efficient and easier to enjoy. The impressively flexible ergonomic arm allows you to extend, retract, swivel, tilt, and adjust the height to fit every person and purpose.

 

For more information and where to find one, visit this LG site.

Good luck!!

We’ll be revealing the makeover on CP24 on November 24th, 2021 around 7:50 am so be sure to tune in.

Filed Under: Arrange, Business Organizing, Events, Home Organizing Tagged With: contest, cp24, home office, makeover, productivity

Four Ways to Have a Smooth and Productive Transition into Fall

Clare and Stephanie talking on couch
Stephanie Smyth of CP24 interviews Clare Kumar on getting organized for the fall. Photo: Screen capture of show on CP24

The change of seasons brings a change of schedule and some anxiety for all about how we’re going to manage it.

Watch the video here!

Here are some strategies which may help. If you’ve got others, please add a comment!

  1. Choose your outfit the night before.

It’s often beneficial to separate planning from execution. Planning requires decision making and sometimes problem solving. Execution is about completing tasks you know how to do. Since mornings are often more rushed, take time the evening before to select what you’re going to wear the next day . I check the weather and often plan from footwear up. Layering is your best friend for days which start out cool and warm up, or for transitions between hot weather and cool, air conditioned environments.

 

  1. Fuel up for your day.

Your brain is on average 2% of your body mass, yet consumes about 20% of your energy.1 Tune into what your body seeks to keep thinking clearly.  If you don’t want to eat a full breakfast before you leave for work or school, identify some portable, nutrient rich snacks which you can take with you.  You don’t want to end up depleted during your morning, or worse, “hangry”!

 

You might think caffeine is helping you boost your focus, but recent research suggests that it is simply an alleviation of your body’s craving for the substance. Consider cutting out caffeine to see if your mind is equally sharp without it.

 

  1. Create a task management system.

When schedules change and we take on new challenges, there is often a worry about keeping on top of everything. Because our brains are challenged to remember everything, as Daniel Levitin suggests in his book, “The Organized Mind”, “Writing things down conserves the mental energy expended in worrying that you might forget something and in trying not to forget it.2

 

Having a system that works for you is critical to staying on top of things, and comforting because you know you depend on it. Key elements of a system include a place to gather your intentions – a “to do list”, a calendar to make time less abstract, and notifications to cue your attention.

 

When building your task management system, pay attention to how you like to work. There is no right and wrong between paper and online solutions. What is important is that it is accessible when you need it, easy to interact with, and redundant (possible to recover information if lost).

 

  1. Avoid making a mess.

When arriving home, it’s easy to plop down our backpacks, briefcases, lunch and gym bags, kick off our shoes, throw off our coats, hats and sunglasses and toss our keys.  Generally, though, this approach leads to chaos.  Turn your “drop and dash” into “stop and stash”!

 

To avoid a stressful entry way, make sure every item you come in with has an easy home to land in. Drawers or hooks near the front door for keys. Cubbies or hooks for backpacks. Use a magazine holder for mail and papers parents need to review. Offer a bin per person for accessories.  Unpack your lunch bag and prepare it for its next use right away. This especially important on Friday nights to avoid unpleasant surprises!!

 

Changing behaviours takes time, so a little lot of coaching is likely required of housemates as you adopt the system. Not only with it keep the entryway clear, everyone will know where items are when they’re running out the door!

 

NEW – In recent months I’ve created new workshops which have been well received by clients such as Facebook Canada and Ryerson University. If your organization is looking for an informative, engaging talk on boosting productivity, becoming more organized or better managing work-life integration, please pass on my contact information, or connect us and I’ll be happy to follow up. With many thanks.

 

SOURCES:

  1. Appraising the brain’s energy budget. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America.
  2. Levitin, D. (2014). The Organized Mind, Allen Lane, Penguin Canada Books

Filed Under: Arrange, Home Organizing, Organizing with Kids, Productivity, Time Management, Wellness Tagged With: fall, nutrition, organize, productivity, task management

Primary Sidebar

Categories

  • Advocate
  • Arrange
  • Business Organizing
  • Coaching
  • Compass
    • Alignment
    • Awareness
    • Intention
  • Design
  • Disability
  • Ergonomics
  • Events
  • Holiday Organizing
  • Home Office
  • Home Organizing
  • HSP – Highly Sensitive Person
  • Inclusivity
  • Leadership
  • Liberate
  • Nurture
  • Organizing with Kids
  • Peace of Mind
  • Performance
    • Comfort
    • Fuel
    • Light
    • Mindset
    • Movement
  • Play
  • Productivity
  • Products
  • Reduce-Reuse-Recycle
  • Relationships
  • Rituals
    • Skills
    • Systematize
  • Technology
  • Time Management
  • Uncategorized
  • Wellness

Core Chair

Enjoy this code, CHAIRLOVE, to receive a special price for your Core Chair.

Visit the CoreChair website to order. 

In Canada: https://ca.corechair.com/
In the US: https://us.corechair.com/

Nitehood

Visit www.nitehood.com and to get 15% off, enter code SLEEPWELL

Book a discovery call with Clare? Click here to contact me.

Footer

Productivity catalyst, highly sensitive executive coach, and speaker, Clare Kumar cultivates sustainable performance in busy professionals so they can keep making rich contributions in all areas of life and achieve greater fulfillment.

She inspires leaders, professionals, employees and entrepreneurs to respect humanity and boost performance through marrying productivity and pleasure. After all, why shouldn’t you have fun while getting things done?

 

From the Blog

Hold that door….! Opportunities to Improve Accessibility are Closer Than You Think

Success Strategies for Back to School

Walking Into a Glass Wall and Why I Can Point a Finger at Poor Design

Instagram post 17994566822269878 Instagram post 17994566822269878
this beautiful voice made up for all the dirt, dis this beautiful voice made up for all the dirt, disrepair and the aggressively, angry rider in my car tonight. 

thank you @charmiemusic 

humans need you.
“hopefully we have cultures where the risk to sp “hopefully we have cultures where the risk to speak up, the fear to speak up is surmountable. we shouldn't have to make a point to speak up. It should just happen. that's the sign of a healthy speak-up culture is, it isn't a big deal. it's just what we do around here.”

🎙this powerful statement is from Leadership Coach, @shedinspires, in our conversation on the latest episode of the “Happy Space Podcast”.

Stephen shares 

📖 why he wrote “Speak-Up Culture”

🥒 how leaders can turn into bad pickles

🗣 advice for speaking up

🥇an opportunity to win a copy of his book! 

be the tenth person to comment on this episode on Instagram/Youtube/Twitter/Facebook/Linkedin and tag both Stephen Shedletsky and Clare Kumar and the book is yours!

tune in to this conversation as we explore why Stephen felt the need to write this book now, how our environment can pressure us into being unethical, and the value of transitioning to a speak-up culture.

🔗link to listen/watch/read the podcast is in the bio 

#everyonedeservesaHappySpace

#speakingup #inclusion #safety #leadership #culture #neurodiversity
🎙Director of Nook®, David O’Coimin explains 🎙Director of Nook®, David O’Coimin explains some of the ways a Nook Pod improves the soundscape in our conversation in episode 7 of the “Happy Space Podcast”.

📣 Nook has a scientifically different sound pressure inside than it does outside. we focus a lot on removing high-frequency noise. we focus a lot on creating a sort of low-frequency hum within the space, almost audible. 

😮 you put your head inside and you can see people go, “okay, how is that happening? I'm in one now, which has a door on, which is the solo booth.” and it's the only one we put a door on. the rest of the products are all open for the reason of inclusivity and feeling connected to the environment.

⛑ so when there's no door and it sounds different inside, people can be startled and quite taken aback by that. but after that first, sort of shock what you get is this, you see this relaxing that occurs, this calm that almost washes over people. so that calm is an important first element of the product.

where could you use a Nook® in your workplace?

🔗link to listen/watch/read the podcast is in the bio

#everyonedeservesaHappySpace

#neurodiversity #sensitivity #safespace #inclusivity #respect #noisereduction
we have a lot to be proud of. i saw “299 Queen S we have a lot to be proud of. i saw “299 Queen Street West” last night - a documentary about the ground-breaking nation’s music station. catch it on @cravecanada - streaming in Dec and touring the country as well through November. 

muchmusic was so very innovative and inclusive. 

props to the vj’s who shaped the show with their innate curiosity and love of trying new things. 
and to the film maker @seanmenard who bravely rented out roy thompson hall for and filled it!

@ericaehm  so much to be proud of!

@denisedonlon 
you were a queen in that suit. what great contributions you have made 

@sookyinleee loved learning more about you 

@billwelychka 
congrats on your book and happiness 

@steveanthonyonline so glad you didn’t go over the edge

@rick_campanelli aka “the temp”

@strombo your bowie interview is a fave of mine

@monica.deol it was wonderful to see an indian woman on tv. you inspired!

the movie also  included an all-time fave bowie interview where he asked mtv why they were not playing the amazing black music being made at the time. ♥️

speakers corner and electric circus were such fun. i think we could all use a daytime dance show now, don’t you @monica.deol ?

this movie made me proud to be 🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦

#muchmusic #canadianfilm #documentary #indie #culture #fun #fan
i eat this almost every day. breakfast is somethin i eat this almost every day. breakfast is something i choose to simplify. decisions take energy.

others might choose wardrobe.

what do you choose to think less about?
i ache for the challenge of this day for those in i ache for the challenge of this day for those in and close to this community. you are seen and you are loved.
how can we be neuroinclusive? Strategy Lead for G how can we be neuroinclusive?

Strategy Lead for Google Global Events, Megan Henshall, talks about designing with neuroinclusion in mind:

🧠 neuro-inclusion needs to be a main ingredient in your experience design recipe because there are a lot of people that are coming to events who are suffering in silence or not coming at all. 

🔀 there's a statistic from an organization called EventWell, and 85% of the neurodivergent people that they interviewed have not attended an event because they thought it would be triggering or overwhelming for them, but that's sad. they have every right to be there.

have you ever opted out of an event because it felt unwelcoming?

🔗link to listen/watch/read the podcast is in the bio

#everyonedeservesaHappySpace

#neurodiversity #inclusion #compassion #neuroinclusion #inclusiveleadership #hsp #leadershipstrategy #events
toronto friends concerned about our declining soun toronto friends concerned about our declining soundscape, now through October 15th is the time to share your thoughts with the city. 

join the calls this week or submit your ideas in writing to 

mlsfeedback@toronto.ca

we deserve better.
Load More… Follow on Instagram

Useful Links

  • About
  • Media
  • Praise
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
International Coach Federation Canadian Association of Professional Speakers National Association of Productivity & Organization Professionals Professional Organizers in Canada
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Copyright © 2023 Streamlife Ltd. · All Rights Reserved