The future of work, and how to reshape your life with Jonas Altman, Shapers Author

Interesting interview with Jonas Altman author of Shapers – Reinvent the Way You Work and Change the Future, which we reviewed here. 

What is your own background briefly?

I never decided what I wanted to be when I grew up and I think I’m better off for it. I’ve been a barista and a bartender, a music exec and a mental health worker. I’ve had a plethora of other jobs and am on my third career now. What I’ve realised is that I don’t need to conform to what a job wants me to be but instead I can do it my way, I can be a shaper.

1 min pitch for what you are doing now / how are you managing during these corona times?

100%. I feel it is logical in the sense that it was illogical.  If it were straightforward I don’t think the constant reinvention, continuous learning, and personalization would be so acute. The emotional resilience this path has helped me build has given me the knack for managing myself, spending my time and energy wisely, and paying attention to my attention. It has prepared me for these deep times that we’re currently in.

What tips would you give to adopt the optimal mindset and embrace the paradigm shift in work?

The first is to uncover and then stick to your purpose. The biggest indicator of whether you are engaged at work is whether you feel you are making meaningful progress. And since this is subjective – if you don’t know what really matters to you – then embracing what the new world of work has on offer will be exceedingly difficult.

Next is a willingness to experiment. By understanding the market and what there is an actual need for, or better yet, creating something that becomes its own category – you can put yourself in a position where you can both earn a living and realise your purpose.

Finally, being able to set and maintain strong boundaries is crucial. This includes learning when to stop working. In the past, my busyness was a container for my fear and anxiety and you guessed it, I burned out. So every day I make a point of carving out time for doing nothing really. Deliberate rest allows me to re-enter my working life with vigor.

What the best ways to ensure remote working is done right?

I don’t think there is any clear-cut way to do it right. What’s paramount is a willingness to find what works for you and your team. Then it’s crucial to stay sensitive to how your everyone works best and the direction in which the company sails its ship?

Trust, empathy, accountability,  great communication, and a commitment to shared vision are all a good bet too.

You mention the death of the office and/or the end of jobs, some of us stopped working in an office years ago, and yet for others the daily commute is still a thing they do – are we at the case that the future is here, but just unevenly distributed? (As possibly said By W Gibson).

Indeed the future is here and it’s grossly misdistributed and will continue to be.  It’s not just about the commute though, it’s also about the kind of work available now and into the future. What we desperately need is to move towards quality work for more people and not more superfluous jobs.

Funnily enough, William Gibson actually lives here in Vancouver. And while writing SHAPERS one day he strolled into the coffee shop I was writing in. I asked him about his biggest fear for the future. He cranked his neck slowly, looked straight at me with his piercing eyes, and said these words: CLIMATE EMERGENCY.

Indeed the death of the office will see a huge reduction in our carbon footprint, but still, this is a flash in the pan.

Who and where do you get inspiration from?

I spend a significant amount of time in nature whether that be walking, running, cycling, or surfing. I find this is when I do some of my best ‘work’.

I love meeting new people and gaining new perspectives. In January 2019 I reached out to a stranger every single day for the month to have a conversation. I love reading everything – books, blogs, newspapers, magazines, whatever.  And I am always listening to music – from the time I wake, when writing, cooking- I find music both soothing and a great catalyst for creativity.

Also my Dad inspires me.  He’s now retired but spent his working life immersed in words?—?reading, drafting, writing, rewriting, refining, revising, and editing. He’s also the most organised human I know. He gives colour to the thoughts lodged in my head and my writing is exponentially better because of him.

Will we see the end or at least a decline in offices and business districts?

I think the first priority will be that offices meet both health and safety standards in addition to feeling psychologically safe. Great work can, and will, continue to happen anywhere. But we are human beings and crave connection – so the future office space will operate as temporal places that cater best to the technological, creative, and intellectual needs of an individual or team.

We’ve been witnessing this shift within the knowledge economy and the independent workforce for some time, and COVID has accelerated what might have taken years into months.

How do people become Shapers?

The first thing is to see work as a journey and not a destination. Then it’s about:

Finding and sustaining work that energises

Continually expressing what’s inside you

Doing something that’s larger than yourself.