A few days ago, I got chatting to a colleague about the bushy-tailed up-and-coming generation of bankers who are skipping merrily through the hallways at Bank HQ.

This younger generation are a gaggle of creative, collaborative and tech-savvy workers.

But the jury’s still out on whether they’ve got the focus, humility and thick-skin for the cut-throat world of corporate banking.

Curiously, my colleague was saying that when he sits at his desk, he looks around at a sea of youngsters with their AirPods shoved into their ears, working away in their own little worlds, unable to hear or engage with anything that’s happening around them.

He thought this was odd.

To some extent, I agree with him. The way to learn your craft is by hearing what’s going on around you, tapping into the hidden gems between the lines, picking things up by osmosis and learning the same way Baby Grundy is literally learning to find her feet. And by that I mean not learning from a textbook using checklists and structured learning patterns but by actually DOING the work and seeing how the hard-nosed veterans who’ve been sitting behind their desk for the last 20, 30 or 40 years approach THEIR work. 

So the bright-eyed juniors could remove their AirPods and start soaking up the corporate smarts all around them. 

But there’s another side to this too.

See, the science confirms something which as a proud introvert I’ve long suspected:

Open plan offices destroy clear thinking.

Various studies by outfits like Harvard Business School and Oxford Economics have shown that open plan offices lead to drops in focus and productivity, increased stress and worse decision-making.

Well, no shit.

This is why I scurry off to the sixth floor at Bank HQ, even though my team are huddled together on the FIRST FLOOR. I really have no interest in a tap on the shoulder, laughter from 3 desks away or background chatter about the football last night.  

Not when I'm trying to work.

The first floor feels like doing my job in a circus ring while the lions roar to my left, the ringmaster bellows to my right and two acrobats throw flaming batons over my head.

Maybe this all makes me sound like a dinosaur. 

But I side with the fresh-faced GenZs on this. 

If you're like me and relish a bit of peace & quiet when you're neck deep in work, that's not something to be sheepish about. Nor is it foolish or lazy. If anything, that's wisdom speaking.   

I will also say this though:

There are days where I find myself with no choice but to take a seat in the first floor circus.

And when I do, it’s helpful to keep in mind that the biggest distractions aren't out there in the office. The biggest distractions are my thoughts about my work, my deadlines, my colleagues and even my thoughts about all the distractions I’m up against.

i.e. the most distracting distractions are in my head.

This is where The Subtraction Method shines.

No-one needs more strategies, hacks, discipline or willpower to cope with the corporate chaos. 

All that’s needed is to subtract the thoughts that are blocking the natural calm, clarity and resilience that every single person on this planet has at their disposal. 

Yes, even in the middle of a circus.

If you’d like to find this place for yourself, here's your next step:

https://waitinglist.followingfulfilment.com

To fulfilment,

Tom