A new trend in the way of life of Europeans contrasts with the “American Way of Life” and it is worth analyzing which one results in a better quality of life.
I know you may not have much time to read this, at least read the example of the parking lot and then decide if you finish reading.
It's been 18 years since I've been here in the Volvo , Swedish company. Working with them is an interesting coexistence. Any project takes two years to materialize here, even if the idea is brilliant and simple. It's rule. In global processes, in us the affections to the immediate results cause generalized anxiety, however, our sense of urgency does not produce any effect in this period.
The Swedes discuss, discuss, hold balance meetings. They work a “speed bump” scheme.
In the extreme, it always ends when the technology and the need mature, very little is lost here.
You have to consider that:
- The country is the size of São Paulo State (in Brazil)
- The country has
- Its largest city, Stockholm, has 500,000 inhabitants.
- Swedish capital companies: Volvo, Scania, Ericsson, Electrolux, ABB, Nokia, Nobel Biocare. Not bad, right?
To have an idea, the Volvo manufactures propellant motors for rockets The NASA.
I say to our global groups; The Swede may be wrong, but he is the one who pays our salaries. However, I must point out that I don't know people who have a more collective culture about it... I'm going to tell you something so that you have an idea.
The first time I went there, in 1990, one of the Swedish colleagues picked me up from the hotel every morning. It was cold and a light sleet. we arrived early to the Volvo and he parked far from the front door (there are 2000 employees with cars).
The first day I didn't say anything to him, the second neither, nor the third, later, with a little more than confidence, I asked him:
– “Is this your parking spot? I have noticed that since we arrive early the parking lot is empty and you leave the car at the long end.
And he answered me like this:
– “It is that we arrived early, so we have time to walk. For those who arrive later it is better that they are closer to the door. You do not think the same?"
Imagine, how embarrassed I was! (Like in Mexico). This made me review my concepts.
In Europe at this time there is a great movement called "slow feeding".
The international slow food association, whose symbol is a snail, is based in Italy. The movement proclaims that people should eat and drink food savoring, enjoying its preparation, sharing it with family, friends, without haste and with quality. The idea is in opposition to fast food and that it represents a lifestyle. The surprise, however, is that this movement is a part of the base of the movement called “Slow Europe”.
The basis of everything is the question of "speed" and "crazy" generated by globalization, for me I associate it with the "quantity you have" as opposed to the quality of life or the "quality of". French workers, even working fewer hours (35 hours per week), are more productive than their American or English colleagues.
The Germans, who in many companies had instituted a week of 28.8 hours of operation, have modified their productivity so as not to grow anything less than the 20%. This so-called “slow attitude” is drawing attention even from Americans, apologists for “Quick” and “Do it now”.
However, this “unhurried attitude” does not mean doing little, or little productivity. It means doing things and working with more "quality" and "productivity" with greater perfection, with attention to detail and with less "tension". It means taking back the values of family, friends, free time, leisure and small communities.
From the "local", present and concrete, as opposed to the "global" -indefinite and anonymous. means return toomar essential human values, the small pleasures of everyday life, of the simplicity of living and living together and religion and faith. It means a work environment that is less coercive, more cheerful, “light” and, therefore, more productive, where happy human beings do, with pleasure, what they know how to do best.
This week, I'd like you to think about this a bit. Could it be that the old sayings "Walk slowly, I'm in a hurry" or "speed is still the enemy of perfection" do not deserve our attention again in these times of wild madness? Could it be that our companies should also think about serious "quality without rush" programs even to increase the productivity and quality of our products and services without the necessary loss of the "quality of being"?
The movie “perfume de mujer” has an exquisite scene, in which a blind character (played by Al Pacino) asks a young woman to dance and she replies:
– “I can’t, because my boyfriend is going to arrive in a few minutes.”
He replies: “but in a few minutes you live a life”, leading her in a tango step. This little scene is the most beautiful moment in the movie.
Some people live according to time, but it seems that they only reach it when they die of heart attacks, or something like that.
For others, time takes time to pass; they are anxious about the future and forget to live in the present, which is the only thing that exists. Everyone has the same time. No one has more or less than 24 hours a day.
The difference is what each one does with their time. We need to know how to take advantage of every moment, because, as John Lennon said: "Life is what happens while we make plans for the future".
Congratulations for reading to the end.
Many will not read this message to the end because they cannot "waste" their time in this globalized world.
Think and reflect:
To what extent is it worth denying yourself certain pleasures such as being with your family, being with your loved one, going to the movies, walking in the park, meditating on Sunday mornings, going fishing on the weekend, or something else? So?
It could be late after...