33. Life-centric work with Wouter Smeets

Embodying change: Transforming power, culture and well-being in aid organisations

How can we better manage our workload, as per Commitment 8 of the Core Humanitarian Standard?*

In this episode Melissa speaks with Wouter Smeets, a design-thinker, about how to re-shape our work in a way that gives us energy, rather than drains it. He gives us some good questions to ask ourselves, like: How do we design our morning routine? What makes a break a good break? What task can we do first that will put us on good footing for the rest of the day? What are some life-centric strategies for managing our calendar? He also reveals a free, work-enhancing drug that has zero side effects. And he talks about a ground-breaking process he’s involved with to create a safe space for exchanging ideas that is also a brave space for experimenting with putting these ideas into practice to make our work more life-enriching.

Wouter Smeets co-founded Prototype You, a community lab for explorers who challenge accepted norms about work, to co-create ways of working where people and organisations thrive. It’s a community lab with workshops, conversations, and experiments to cultivate work that enriches people’s lives. When he’s not working he’s usually visiting the sea, hiking, or running on the athletics track.

To learn more check out:

- Wouter on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wouter-smeets/

- Prototype You at https://www.prototypeyou.nl/community

- Wouter’s newsletter where he shares gems from the lab here: https://prototypeyou.ck.page/newsletter

- Wouter’s email is: [e-mail]

***Thanks to Ziada Abeid for editing the show.***

*Core Humanitarian Standard Commitment 8: Communities and people affected by crisis receive the assistance they require from competent and well-managed staff and volunteers.