Deep Work IS gendered and we need three tiers to fix it.
This week is about the different tech needs of parents and carers.
Lack of diversity in tech
If you’re a 20 or 30-something bloke without kids (or an older one whose partner does all the caring) you are probably oblivious to the challenges a lot of people face. Including that ‘deep work’ is something that might only happen after 8pm when no one else needs anything from you.
A quick read of Caitlin Moran’s How to be a Woman would sort them out, as would a trawl through the explosion of messages in my inbox.
📱HQ Mode, please
The challenge is that they’re not really engaging in this—one techie said this week that he doesn’t like to think about this stuff in terms of gender (oh piss off)—so if you know them, drop them a line and tell them I want to chat.
I want our phones to have an ‘HQ Mode’ so we can:
✅ continue to run the essential bits of life: fielding messages from school, doctors, nurseries, car mechanics, and the lost delivery driver (even those from unlisted numbers)
❌ silence every message from the PTA, that client who wants the deck for the presentation on January 6th, and John Lewis sales
It would be a step towards claiming back those boundaries, albeit porous to start with, that got blown up when we started working from home.
Boundaries??
As someone said to me last week, ‘I want to go back to the office because at least then had a commute and went for lunch or coffee and maybe finished at 10pm if we were doing a deal. Now we NEVER STOP and I’m crumbling.’
Meanwhile, in this house, we’re at the back of the queue for the COVID vax (fair) but have shown our support for the concept by inoculating the COVID-cliché puppy. He is even less impressed than the fabulous pensioners who have been all over the news steadfastly refusing to gush for the cameras.
In contrast, next week, we’ll be doing a gushing review of vlog learnings in 2020. Expect swearing, puppies, and out-takes.
-Christine x
