"Open Space" Office is a phenomenon that most of us have encountered at work. It is something that defies our normal notion of "Focus and Deliver" specially if you grew up in house where "Khosh oddatak, e2efel el bab, Rakez w zaker" was on the top list of the most said phrases in the house. On the first days in Open Space, a piece of advice was very much needed facing the unbelievable flow of noise, chats, movements, calls, passers by, watching who works or plays solitaire (now browsing the net) and many more; and I am happy that I received it. "Youssef, do not make your agenda be managed by what comes from outside, chats will happen in the cubicle next to you, gatherings and laughs will be loud and grabbing your attention, invasions of your desk with endless question will . If you answer all, you will kill your productivity and obviously fail. Build filtering walls, Focus on one topic at a time, Manage your own agenda rather than be moved by all outside factors...and the others, seeing you productive, will respect that!" and yes, it was hard to follow, yet could not imagine surviving without this technique.
I guess We live these days in the "Social Open Space" Lives. The notion of your time and privacy has changed drastically, no longer your life is immune to external factors, chats, laughs, outings, rumors, comparisons and more. The distraction is attacking everywhere, just at the tips of your fingers. Try to have a decent conversation in group, in few minutes, half will be already checking their phones! Your days goes fine, then a message in wattsapp turns it around, or a photo on Facebook gets you in scenarios of thinking, or a late email at evening while with family kills the night. All this shakes your faith and peace from-within. They invade even your quality time spent with yourself and and your Creator, these few minutes are always full of distractions, right? Jesus expressed it beautifully in the parable of the seeds in different soils:
"And He told them many things in parables (stories by way of illustration and comparison), saying, A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell by the roadside, and the birds came and ate them up. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them out". (Matthew 13:3-4, 7)
فكلَّمَهُمْ كثيرًا بأمثالٍ قائلًا: «هوذا الزّارِعُ قد خرجَ ليَزرَعَ، وفيما هو يَزرَعُ سقَطَ بَعضٌ علَى الطريقِ، فجاءَتِ الطُّيورُ وأكلَتهُ...وسَقَطَ آخَرُ علَى الشَّوْكِ، فطَلَعَ الشَّوْكُ وخَنَقَهُ. (13 مَتَّى:3-4, 7 )
Yes we have to admit, our lives now are getting chocked and strangled by distractions killing our productivity and ability to let grow the seed of His words in us, we just lead our lives responding to what happens into our "Social Open Space" allowing it to shape our thoughts, reactions and overall mood.
Dear Lord, We Thank you for the days of connection we live into, yet We pray today for a defined and focused heart in each one of us, a heart that can live with barriers to distractions, a heart that will lead from within rather than react to the outside, a mind that will stay focused on what matters in that wide Open Space..a Soul seeking you to bear Fruits and grow in the light of Your love. Amen!
Keep focused my friends!
