Flexible by design

#WeeklyNRG – A Snapshot of All Things #NRG

This week’s theme? Flexible by design.

Flexible working is often talked about as where we work. For me, it is equally about when we work, and designing the week around focused contribution, personal commitments and the energy needed to do both well.

The Weekly Debrief

Last week was a real mix of work and play. There were sunny afternoons at the beach, work in the morning, then back to it again in the evening. I’m fortunate that I can often be flexible with my work, not only in location, but in the hours I choose to work. It does not happen every week, and it is not always easy, but when the diary allows, it can make a huge difference.

The key is staying open about when work gets done. Some people might say that this means you never truly switch off, and they would sometimes be right, particularly when work is important, sensitive or a little difficult. But I have found that stepping away from the desk does not mean stepping away from the problem. Often, it is exactly what helps me see it differently.

Sitting by the water, listening to the waves and feeling the sun on my skin gave me room to breathe. It is often in those quiet, unstructured moments that my creative brain comes alive, which is why I always have a notebook close by. The best ideas rarely arrive at the exact moment I schedule them. I even managed to fit in a massage, a small but very welcome reminder that recovery deserves a place in the diary too.

The Week Ahead

The coming week is a fuller one. I’m flying to London early on Tuesday for a full day of meetings, followed by the ABE Board meeting on Wednesday. Thursday, I’ll be delivering a webinar for Business Wales, before the Institute of Leadership Board meeting on Friday.

The webinar is on governance and boards, which feels particularly relevant as I move through a week of board discussions, leadership conversations and strategic decisions. Good governance is not simply about process, paperwork or making sure everything has been signed off. At its best, it gives organisations clarity, challenge and confidence: the space to make sound decisions while keeping sight of purpose, people and long-term impact.

And, because I’ll be back in Cardiff, there will also be dinners and drinks with friends. Another reminder that balance is not found by waiting for a quieter period that may never arrive. Sometimes you have to make the time for the people who matter, alongside the work that matters.

Lessons Learnt

This week has reinforced that flexibility is not the same as being permanently available. It is about making deliberate choices: knowing when you need deep focus, when you need to be present for others, and when a break from the desk may be the most productive thing you can do.

For leaders and business owners, that is often harder than it sounds. We can become conditioned to measure commitment by hours worked, replies sent or the number of things squeezed into a day. But sustainable performance comes from managing energy as carefully as we manage time.

The beach did not make the work disappear. It gave me perspective, space and a fresh way of looking at it. And that is the kind of flexibility worth designing for — not an escape from responsibility, but a more thoughtful way to meet it.

Here’s to working hard, resting well, making time for people and leaving enough space for the best ideas to find us. Just the right dose of #NRG.

Question for you: Where could a little more intentional flexibility give you better energy, clearer thinking or stronger results this week?