The Benefits of Inconvenience

I’ve gotten so used to the efficiency of Zoom meetings. 

From one minute to the next I can be in back-to-back meetings with two different people from different sides of the world. Not only that, but I can also multitask and check email or update a spreadsheet on the call! (Shhh!)

But speed and efficiency aren't always helpful when it comes to relationships.

(Think about your own preferences in the bedroom.)

Friendship is, in itself, inconvenient. 

We go out of our way to share secrets that could be weaponized later. We start conversations without knowing how they’ll end; meet for long walks; make secret handshakes and share silly inside jokes; we sit on phone calls to tell stories and go out to coffee that all serve no "productive" purpose.

These acts allow us to explore, wander, and go deeper.

While we may optimize for efficiency at work or in our technology, in order to build relationships, we need more acts of inefficiency.

I’m looking forward to Caveday’s Fall Retreat here in NYC this month. While we’ll be spending a lot of our time on Saturday getting work done, we’re building in time for the magic of inefficiency. Time to take breaks. Moments to explore, wander, and go deeper. Experiences to build new relationships and foster existing ones. 

Can’t wait to see you there.

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Caveday is a company aimed at improving your relationship to work. We write regular posts on Medium and send out monthly newsletters with productivity tips, life hacks, and recommendations. Sign up for the mailing list here.

Jake Kahana is a cofounder of Caveday. Sign up for his personal emails, called “The Email Refrigerator” here.