FWEA Focus—James J. Wallace

FWEA FOCUS Recharge, Reset, Renew!

James J. Wallace, P.E.

President, FWEA

Wow! It’s clear that 2020 is shaping up to be one of the more challenging, stressful, and exhausting—but important—years in recent memory. Amazingly, we’re only at the halfway mark, and yet most of us feel like we’ve lived multiple years’ worth of experiences in these six months. So, as we nav igate the summer, especially with those who have children on a break from school, it’s a great time to take stock of our own physical and mental health. It’s time to recharge (your mental and physical energy), reset (your expectations and goals) and renew (your outlook and purpose).

Recharge

I don’t know about you, but to me, it sure feels like I am working harder today than ever before. While the additional time spent with family is a huge bonus (as well as the lack of a commute), the hours I spend each day working, and the overall efficiency in doing that work, seem to be at a peak. Add to it the fact that most of our offices are now within a few steps, 24 hours per day, seven days per week, and it’s eas ier than ever to work on nights and weekends, too. With this increased output, the need to recharge more effectively and more often is key.

In my company, we have used many personality assessment tools over the years. Recently, we used Insights® Discovery, but have also used Myers-Briggs® and many others. The value of this insight to our personality is the ability to know your work and personal tendencies, which also helps educate you on what types of activities are best to recharge your batteries. For instance, knowing you lean toward introversion or extroversion can help you understand if you will recharge most effectively in solitude (e.g., nature hikes, small family getaways, reading books, etc.) or whether you recharge through being around other people (e.g., socialization, active travel, and nonwork interactions), which admittedly is harder to do these days—more than any other time in recent history. Whatever your optimum way to recharge, plan to do it before this summer ends! Your physical and mental health are worth the effort.

Reset

Now this one can be tough. I’m not suggesting you abandon your goals and expecta

tions for 2020; however, a slight adjustment of those expectations and goals may be neces sary. There are just some things we will not be able to do as originally planned in the current COVID-19 environment. For example, the Florida Water Resources Conference (FWRC) was unable to be held in 2020, and many local chapter/committee events had to be postponed, rescheduled, or cancelled; therefore, a slight adjustment to our goals and expectations is appropriate and timely. Trying to achieve the previous goals and expectations that have been rendered impossible due to the coronavirus would have a negative effect on our physical and mental health. Be honest with yourself, talk to your leadership, and adjust your goals and expecta tions as necessary. This will help to shift your focus to things that can be accomplished in the time that remains this year.

Renew

Once you’ve completed the steps I’ve mentioned, and now that you have recharged your batteries and reset your goals and expectations, go forth and do great things! Your renewed energy and revised outlook will support your purpose-driven successes in the remainder of the year. While some are pushing to end 2020 as soon as possible, and get to 2021, you will do great things this year and salvage what has been an extraordinarily difficult time.

One final word, while I have your attention. My suggestions are important and valuable, but now is not the time for complacency or withdrawal. It’s very important to recharge, reset, and renew, but please remain vigilant. We are now knee-deep in hurricane season, and while the peak is usually in August and September, now is the time to confirm your plans. So be prepared, be aware, and put your plans into action when needed.

My request to guard against complacency and disengagement also extends to these trying times that we’ve experienced regarding some of the injustices we have witnessed this year. Please always do what’s right, stand up for what’s right, and as my CEO recently encouraged us to do: “Speak up. Speak out.” Let’s drive positive change in this world and finish 2020 as a year that led us forward to some of the most productive, just, inspiring, and prosperous times of our lives.

As Martin Luther King Jr. stated, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”