When I was travelling as a digital nomad before Covid, the time zone changes made it challenging to talk with anyone in real time. I gradually got deeper and deeper into (what I have since heard called) “asynchronous” communication. I was sending texts, videos, and emails. I had all of the apps – Messenger, Slack, MarcoPolo, WhatsApp, Snapchat…
But then Covid stopped my travelling.
As I was attempting to secure a permanent residence again, I relearned the power of having a conversation.
Because…
Every form was a challenge
Every form related to getting an apartment was a challenge.
- The application needed to know my “present address” – um, you mean this AirBnB?
- The criminal record check needed the “last two places I lived” – um, you mean the last two AirBnBs?
- The renter’s insurance form needed my “current permanent address” – ah no, don’t have one of those.
None, and I mean none, of the online forms could be effectively filled out by a nomad re-entering structured society.
Instead of being ‘streamlined’, the process was blocking me
I can understand that there’s a baseline assumption that everyone exists in some system. The forms are meant to streamline the process toward the goal. But for me they were roadblocks.
For a moment, my self-talk wondered how I would ever make it work.
The roadblocks with technology though, necessarily led me to have person to person conversations.
Then I picked up the phone and got excited again
Looking away from the monitor and talking with someone, got me around the obstacles, but also got me more excited.
- Chatting with a building manager allowed me to find an even better apartment, when the conversation led to what really matters to me.
- Talking with an insurance agent gave me a clearer understanding of what insurance can cover than I’d ever get reading websites.
- Reaching a real person at Border Services gave me the steps to ask for an exception which made me confident to hire a moving company to get my stuff from San Francisco to Ottawa.
To avoid the narrowing of self-sufficiency have intentional conversations
Focusing on self-sufficiency and efficient transactions, narrowed my perspective and limited me.
Ignoring the greatest feature of my handheld device kept me insulated. But it’s foundational purpose is to make phone calls!
When I chose to connect with people, I benefited not just from their direct help, but from additional suggestions and opportunities I hadn’t considered. And I was able to move forward smoothly.
Exercise widening your perspective
To widen your perspective, here’s an exercise:
- Today: Make a list of people you haven’t spoken with in a while. ex. former teammates, skip level managers, peers in other companies, old classmates.
- Then: Set a reminder for yourself to make a call every day. ex. mark your calendar, leave a sticky note in your fridge, set an alarm on your phone.
- Through the week: Be intentional in making one phone call every day. It can be short, and it can simply be about checking in. Notice what emotions you feel before and after the call.
- At the end of the week: Reflect on what was easy and what was hard, and what surprised you by incorporating more intentional conversations into your interactions.
