Think: For the past month, I have taken my own advice and dedicated a significant portion of my time to thinking. In my case, my wife and I have had the pleasure of doing this from Costa Rica. The above photo contains some of the books I have been reading to “juice up” my thinking. This article, “Get Reading: This is How Books Can Improve Your Mental Health,” explains how books can lower stress, soothe anxiety, and improve our thinking.
Think Harder: This article, What the Remote Work Revolution Means for Cities, gave me plenty to think about and it will provide real estate industry professionals much to think about as well. I found the implications for the “five day workweek” and making the office an “experience” (so as to attract workers back into the office) to be ideas worthy of some of our “thinking time.”
Think Cleaner: Most experts and futurists believe water will be a serious issue in the future. Personally, I agree with this assessment but there is hope on the horizon as this article suggests: Alphabet (Google) Has Designed a Low-Cost Device to Make Clean Water.
Think Bigger: The worker shortage is going to be with us for a while. Many businesses, especially in the fast food industry, are already innovating their way into the future. White Castle is the latest–the company has recently purchased 100 robots to replace short-order cooks.
Think in Questions: The world has no shortage of problems–microplastics is one of the more recent problems to capture the public’s attention. While answers to many of today’s “wicked problems” will remain, it is incumbent upon leaders to ask better questions. Here is an interesting question I just stumbled upon: Can Birch Trees Soak Microplastics Out of Polluted Soil?
Afterthought: “Trees are an invitation to think about time and to travel in it the way they do, by standing still and reaching out and down.” Rebecca Solnit
