During this era of disruption, cultivating a fresh perspective becomes indispensable. It is crucial to reimagine the concept of work-life balance to create space for innovative solutions. One need not possess the talents of a professional artist to unlock our innate creativity. Designing one’s life, implementing key design principles in life, and composing one’s life song were the central themes of a journey of self-discovery, guided by Bill Burnett, an award-winning Silicon Valley designer, best-selling author, and the Executive Director of the Design Program at Stanford University.
Addressing participants at the “Designing Your Life” event hosted by the Chulalongkorn School of Integrated Innovation (CSII) on September 15, 2023, Bill Burnett critiqued the conventional approach to the work-life balance issue. “A prevalent social perspective suggests that we must achieve a balance between work and life,” Bill remarked. It is time to redefine “balance” in a way that maximizes our potential for creative solutions. Instead of restricting ourselves to the binary notion of work and life, we must acknowledge that life is multifaceted.
Encouraging participants, a majority of them students, to embark on a journey of self-awareness, he urged them to shift their focus to work, play, love, and health, rather than fixating solely on the twin aspects of work and life. As the audience delved into the dashboard provided by Burnett, he prompted everyone to take a step back and reflect: What is currently working for you, and what one or two small changes could you make to design your upcoming week? Drawing from his own life experiences, he shared how he began taking dance lessons, not with the aim of becoming a professional performer but to enhance the dimensions of love and play in his life. “I achieved two goals with one activity,” he added.
Bill emphasized that it is entirely possible to design elements that can shape the future, asserting that there is no direct correlation between money and happiness. Citing data to underscore his point that a significant number of workers in various countries are disengaged from their work, he also highlighted that the most significant healthcare crisis in the United States is loneliness. Bill proposed the development of five key mindsets: a culture of mindfulness that includes re-framing, rekindling curiosity, engaging in mindfulness, a radical correlation, and a bias towards action. “As a child, one is very curious, but as one grows older, curiosity often dissipates,” he quipped.
In his focus on do-it-yourself ideas for overcoming obstacles, Bill encouraged the audience to explore the concept of mixing their life song. He suggested using sliders to rate themselves on a satisfaction chart, evaluating the dimensions like of, impact, and expression. “In a market economy, you make money, while in the social economy, you make an impact. But in a creative economy, you make an impression,” he said. He urged participants to experiment over the next week, adjusting these satisfaction levels to create a harmonious life song.
As he wrapped up the design exercise, Bill reflected on the theme of disruptions, emphasizing the substantial gap between the new and the old world. He underscored the importance of establishing an acceptance zone where we embrace the disruptive changes that have surfaced. “The cornerstone of our approach lies in human-centered design, where our goal is to make life more humane, more helpful, and more hopeful,” he concluded.
The interactive event, organized by CSII, marked a significant activity hosted by the school that provided its students with the opportunity to engage with globally renowned figures. In his welcome address, CSII Executive Director Professor Worsak Kanok-Nukulchai emphasized the school’s commitment to preparing students to confront challenges stemming from global disruptions and to groom them as future global citizens. The event was emceed by Ms. Daria Dmitrieva, International Affairs Officer at CSII.
