While many people are setting the tone for another year of their career (and possibly adding "work-life balance" to their list of 2023 New Year’s Resolutions), we'd like to offer a radical belief: that our lives and our work are not separate things, and that this can actually be a good thing. In fact, at nRhythm, we believe that when we create conditions for work to be full of love and care, (by organizing around guiding living systems patterns) we create the conditions for life to be full of the same, which has the potential of benefiting not only ourselves, but also our families, friends, communities, and our planet.

We get it, that all sounds well and good, but how realistic is this? How can a workplace actually be full of care when the concept of command and control strategies are alive as ever in our organizations, systems and institutions? A recent article described “Twitter employees bracing for what was to come under Musk’s leadership.”  When we're describing work or someone's particular leadership style as something we have to "brace for," it's time to collectively reimagine our view of work. 

Research shows that the average human spends 40-60 hours per week at work which adds up to about one-third of our lives. Currently, it has been normalized that an unchangeable outcome of work is that it leaves us feeling drained, lifeless, and burnt out – or even traumatized; and that’s just something we have to deal with, or even "brace for." Don't we have enough to brace for already? 

But what if work was transformed from something that extracts the life out of us into something that is life-giving? A source of energy, purpose and connection. A place where we feel alive, like ourselves. 

nRhythm's mission is to do just that; to transform workplaces and create conditions where health and abundance are the natural outcomes. We are also  committed to honestly and radically working to reverse all mindsets, behaviors, policies, and practices that have been intentionally designed and/or unintentionally adopted to give power, privilege, and advantage to one group (or individual). Where systems of oppression come to die and love and care are nurtured. We are committed to disrupting the current dominant design of organizations, institutions, and systems in all sectors that we recognize to be based on a mechanistic, reductionist, and extractive model - this begins with bringing more life back into the workplace.  

When work is degenerating our health, this effects in the rest of our lives. We bring that energy home and it impacts our families and our relationships in all kinds of unhealthy ways. However, the secret is, the connection, abundance, health and impact that many of us seek, lies within our workplaces. —That is, if they are designed and organized with life in mind.

This year we invite you find out what's possible when you bring more of your whole self to work. Get started now with these 10 simple questions. 

10 Questions to Feel More Alive at Work in 2023

nRhythm’s Regenerative Framework is about bringing life to work. Consider the following 10 questions inspired by our six guiding Regenerative Design Patterns and framework to bring life to your work in 2023 and become a designer of your work and life. 

We invite you to settle in with these questions, your computer or pen and paper and your favorite beverage, and explore the ways you can bring more life to work this year. We encourage you to answer these now and come back to them when you’re feeling stuck, lost, or need new inspiration for how to move forward. Repeat this exercise with your team, friends, and family. Regeneration doesn’t happen in a vacuum ― community is essential. With that in mind, we will be continuing the conversation around these questions in the nRhythm Community so please meet us there if you want to share and reflect on your answers. 

Get started here:

1. What does it mean to thrive in your role at work?

2. How would you describe your ideal quality of life? 

Tip: Do not separate health, profession and family from this question. View this as holistically as possible.

Here's an example of nRhythm's Quality of Life Statement: "We desire a quality of life that is fun, adventurous, and alive. We thrive as individuals and as a team because of our freedom, flexibility, and shared life experiences. We actualize our full potential. We bring our whole selves and value the intimacy and support from trusted relationships." - Team nRhythm 

3. When did you feel the most alive this year? What caused that experience? What about that experience was so transformational? Do you believe it is possible to recreate that experience in your work?

4. What kind of community do you need to support you in creating the conditions for abundance and resilience in your work? What specific support do you need from your community?

5. Are there any mindsets, beliefs, or habits that you need to let go of in order to bring new life to your work in 2023?

6. What about how you organized your time in 2022 worked? What didn't work? How might you organize your time in 2023 in a way that would bring even more life to you and those in your community?

Tip: Think daily routines, seasonal rhythms, scheduling, etc. 

7. What about your work gives you energy? What about your work is draining your energy?

8. If you had a chance to design your own role within your organization, what would it be? Describe why it would be the ideal.

9. Describe in detail what the organizational environment and leadership needs to be in order to create the conditions for you to thrive? Include interactions with team members and partners.

10. What barriers to unleashing your potential did you encounter this year? How might you overcome those barriers in 2023? What community support do you seek in this process? 

We trust your reflections on these questions will help you to bring more of yourself to work in 2023 and throughout your career. If you’re interested in continuing your journey towards regeneration, we invite you to explore the following offerings.

• The nRhythm Community, A gathering place to #getnRhythm with life. We invite you to connect with others on a similar path and get access to resources to grow your practice: Request Free Access
• Learn more about nRhythm's six guiding Regenerative Design Patterns (RDPs): Explore Now