Sadly, it seems boomers (like me) are
shying away from those markers that date them for fear of hurting their own
marketability. I get it. You want to be with it and on trend. You don’t want
your age to have an impact on your chances for career opportunities. Still, you
shouldn’t be ashamed to admit that you miss some of the simple
things that used to be so ubiquitous in our every day lives.
While you were out – Those
stacks of pink messages that used to be on your desk after you were out of the
office. I miss them. They were the reason you needed to get back to work. Those
telephone calls could be returned in a civilized 24 hours or so. You had a
little time to think before responding.
The Daily Newspaper – News
delivered to your doorstep in the morning. You could absorb relevant news at
the start of the day over a healthy breakfast. Too bad the daily newspaper and
that ritual reading is fading fast.
Reception Areas – Sure they
still exist now but not in the same way. The receptionist was the nerve-center
of the company. This individual was almost always a female. She was the voice,
eyes and ears of the company. She was Vice President of First Impressions.
Someone answering the phone –
The phone rings and no-one answers. You are forced to listen to prompts and
enter your choice by pressing the number that corresponds most closely to your
reason for calling. You are a number in the queue.
Dressing for Success – It
started with casual Fridays and turned into a complete collapse of business
dress. My Dad used to say you should dress each day so that you could be
anywhere and not be inappropriate. That’s harder to do now. The rules are more
subtle.
9 to 5 – I like what I do.
Don’t get me wrong. I am thinking about business, projects and planning 24/7
but that work-life balance is in jeopardy now more than ever. You have to set
aside time for our friends and family. If you are lucky, you can enjoy work
associates and colleagues but you gotta turn off the switch and let your
batteries recharge.
What do you miss?
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