Getting everything and nothing done, and then turning it into a meetup!
This is another Big Idea turned into a Real Life Meetup! I had been dabbling in body doubling last year (wow that’s a sentence) and thought it would be great if we could host it on a schedule so folks could add it into their calendars. I also wanted a way for folks to come meet me – Lisa – in person without having to meet for coffee or some other one-on-one meetup which can be intimidating for some folks (like me).
Enter Office Hours.
This was initially conceived as a pilot project with a short run – 5 months to start. Here is the debrief.
tl;dr It was AMAZING and we’re going to keep going!
We used Office Hours for body doubling. Low key external accountability.
We used Office Hours to meet people without worrying about ice breakers or having a huge conversation.
We used Office Hours to get stuff done – or not.
We had folks doing computer work, creative work, and those word puzzles at the back of a newspaper. We explored the City’s library system! And wow, does Edmonton ever have some nice libraries.
I joke that even if I was just able to use this time to see my parents more often, and open them up to exploring different parts of their city, I consider it a roaring success.
We hosted the pilot project at four Edmonton libraries throughout the fall and winter of 2023-2024. November through March seemed a great time to host these meetups, and it was nice to have a cozy library hangout to look forward to on the chilly, blustery days. The library is free, accessible, and there is probably one close to you! I also love the sounds of a library – it’s like built in low-fi chill, except with the noises of people whispering or clickety-clacking on the computers.
Our libraries are a treasure, and anything I can do to support them and get more people there, I will gladly do it.
I know that I personally got a tonne of work done. A lot of my volunteer work (and Not Ladylike work) is computer based. Having this dedicated time each month was very beneficial to staying ahead of my tasks.
Realizations that:
- checking off items from your to-do list is easier and more fun with other people around
- you need external accountability
- you need low stakes, low barrier acquaintance-building opportunities
- you appreciate an incentive to get out of the house
- coming soon you want to volunteer your time, but don’t know how or where
- coming soon you want to learn about the politics behind social issues and get more involved in making your community a better place
Let’s grow the crap out of this. For more information, and to watch for our upcoming meetup dates, click here.
Not Ladylike Community 