Ep. 66 – The Rhythm of Sustainable Business

Introducing the themes for this season and episode

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So with that news update out the way let’s dive into the focus of this episode, which is what I call “the rhythm of sustainable success” for a better way to work.

This introductory episode sets the stage for the season by providing an overview of how creating cadence intersects with sustainable business practices. I’m going to briefly revisit what cadence and intentional productivity actually mean to provide some context. And we’ll look at the concept of the triple bottom line and why sustainability in business matters.

So you can better understand how these ideas converge to create a rhythm that supports long-term success.

Now, I’ve gone into great detail on the concept of cadence and intentional productivity in past episodes. And you can check out my Discovery Packs at creatingcadence.co if you want to dive really deep on these topics. Today, I’m just going to give you a quick recap.

Defining Creating Cadence

So first, what do I mean by creating cadence? Think of cadence as the rhythm or flow in how we work. Just like music has a beat that guides the melody, cadence in work is about finding a steady rhythm that helps us navigate our days, weeks and months without burning out. The pace of our cadence may change based on the demands of our work and life. But it’s about learning how to adapt to those changes in pace, as much as it is about learning to control the pace, in those places where we can set boundaries around how we work and live.

Cadence is a mindset and a worldview that is more helpful for us than this notion of work-life balance. Because let’s be honest, balance is hard to maintain. It’s a static concept, so to keep things level, we can’t move and we can’t build momentum. Whereas cadence helps us to create a flexible rhythm. It’s not about perfection. It’s about finding an adjustable, adaptable pace that works for you, for your team, and for your business.

It’s about how we keep moving forwards. Even when one part of our work or life is demanding more than the rest.

So why does cadence matter? When you find your work cadence, you’re not just surviving the workday, you’re thriving. It’s an approach that supports not just your productivity, but also your wellbeing, because it puts wellbeing at the heart of how you work. And when you’re thriving, you get to experience what I call ‘the cadence effect’, which also happens to be the name of my book.

When you find your cadence, you’re able to work more effectively, become more focused on the work that matters, and avoid the exhaustion that comes from constant firefighting, which is often our typical way of working.

Creating cadence is about being in control of your work rather than letting your work control you.

Imagine a marathon runner versus a sprinter. The marathon runner has to pace themselves to make it through the long haul. While a sprinter goes all out, but only for a short burst. Most of us are trying to sprint through a marathon, which is why we’re exhausted and overwhelmed most of the time.

So cadence is about finding the pace for a marathon. So you can go the distance and can maintain consistency, by adjusting your pace as needed, without burning out.

This is not some woo woo concept. This is backed by science and copious amounts of research.

Now the vehicle for creating cadence is intentional productivity, which is the second discussion point of today’s episode.

When we engage in these intentionally productive practices, it supports our wellbeing, creativity, efficiency, and outputs. Being more intentionally productive is not about finding ways to fill your days with more work. It’s not about surviving a hustle culture. And it’s not about being a slave to overwork.

This is about working smarter, not harder, and not longer. And it ties into both personal wellbeing and organizational success. So, how do I define intentional productivity? Intentional productivity is about getting meaningful and important things done consistently. In ways that activate our potential, encourage better performance, enhance our wellbeing, and spark our creativity. It’s a framework of activities, actions, behaviours, habits, and rituals, which help us to craft more supportive, effective, productive, and meaningful work lives. And it’s unique to each of us.

Exploring Intentional Productivity

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Intentional productivity is about focusing on what truly matters and making conscious choices about how you spend your time, and how you do the work you do.

It’s not about doing more. It’s about doing more of what’s important and doing it well.

Imagine decluttering your workspace or inbox. When you clear out the junk, it’s easier to focus on what’s important. Intentional productivity is like that for your workday, your work style, and your work processes. It’s kind of like Marie Kondo-ing your To-Do list so that you can prioritize the tasks that truly spark joy in your business.

Productivity and wellbeing are intrinsically connected and being more intentional with our productivity helps us to support our wellbeing better. As I mentioned before, it’s about putting wellbeing first. When we do this, our productivity naturally improves, but the reverse is often not the case when productivity is put first.

Intentional productivity also means making time for rest and recovery, which is crucial for sustained performance and to avoid burnout. By prioritizing what’s essential, which is your wellbeing, you can avoid the overwhelm that leads to stress and burnout because you’re operating from more resilient foundations.

Intentional productivity boosts our efficiency.

When we’re more intentional about how we work, we waste less time on low-value tasks, and the practices we engage in help us to get more of what matters done in less time. Leaving us with the energy to tackle the big challenges, as well as the energy to enjoy our time outside of work too.

Let’s face it, even though work is important, it’s just one facet of our multi-layered identity and we need the energy to be able to show up in the other parts of our lives, too.

Connecting Cadence & Intentional Productivity to Sustainable Business Practices

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Now let’s connect these concepts to sustainability and sustainable business practices.

Many business owners think that this concept of sustainability only relates to saving the environment and engaging in activities such as being clearer on their carbon usage through reporting, as well as doing the responsible thing by reducing their carbon usage and offsetting. But this is about more than how we recycle the printer cartridges or encourage our employees to take the bus or cycle to work.

These things are obviously important, but sustainability matters for more than just that, because sustainability involves taking account of what is known as the triple bottom line, which covers people, planet and profit. This is the foundation of building a sustainable business that doesn’t just focus on financial gain, but also takes care of its employees and the environment.

The people element is important because your team is your greatest asset. If they’re not healthy, happy and engaged your business suffers. We’ll talk more about how to take care of your people in upcoming episodes.

The planet element is of critical importance because we only have one planet. We’re currently out-consuming what the planet can sustainably provide and we’re facing extreme environmental challenges because of climate change, the climate crisis and our carbon usage and outputs. It isn’t just the big causes of these challenges that need to be dealt with.

Businesses also have a huge role to play in protecting it. But sustainable business practices aren’t just good for the earth. They’re also good for your brand and your bottom line.

Now, obviously for you to be able to have a sustainable business, it needs to be generating a healthy profit so that you can sustain the business over the long term. So profit is essential, but it shouldn’t, and in most cases, does not need to, come at the expense of people or the planet.

The good news? Companies that focus on sustainability often see better long-term financial results, because they build trust and loyalty with their customers and employees. So think of the triple bottom line approach as a three legged stool. If one leg is shorter or weaker than the others, the stool tips over.

A sustainable business keeps all three legs, that’s people, planet and profit, in balance. So that it can stay steady, sturdy, and strong.

Another term that is linked to this idea of being more responsible and sustainable in business, is the concept of corporate social responsibility, or CSR.

CSR is a strategy that helps companies to take an active and positive social role in the world around them, based on the premise that businesses have a greater duty to society than just creating jobs and making profit.

CSR is often adopted as a mandatory practice for larger organizations and multinational corporates, where they may also legally be required to donate a percentage of their profits to social and/or environmental initiatives.

But CSR policies are something that can be adopted by any company or business, irrespective of your size. If you decide to adopt CSR practices, it might be as simple as a yearly volunteer day or donation drive for your local charity, or social support organization. Perhaps you’re sponsoring a school with their library. When I worked in corporate events management in South Africa several years ago, I also got involved in handling the company’s CSR initiatives, helping to connect our events clients with local charities and organizations that they could support with various activities and financial donations during their conference and incentive trip.

A lot of what I’ve mentioned here is foundational stuff. And in upcoming episodes, we’re going to dive a bit deeper into each aspect of the triple bottom line.

What to Expect This Season

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So before we go, here’s a bit more about what to expect this season:

Episode two is about people and what’s involved in building resilient teams and a healthy work culture.

We’ll explore, creating a work environment that supports your team’s wellbeing and productivity, with a look at how we build resilience, foster collaboration, and create a culture that people want to be a part of.

The focus of episode three will be planet and integrating environmental sustainability into your business.

This episode will look at practical ways to reduce your environmental impact and why it’s good for business. From reducing waste to embracing renewable energy, we’ll cover simple, actionable steps that you can take to get started, no matter how big or small your business is.

In episode four, we’ll look at profit and the business case for sustainable success.

This episode is about addressing that myth that profit and sustainability cannot co-exist, and I’ll cover how ethical practices can actually enhance your bottom line. I’ll also share examples of companies that are thriving by doing good.

Episode five will be about the future of work, from adapting to change to embracing AI.

We’ll look ahead to the future of work, including the impact of AI, and I’ll explore how creating cadence can help your business adapt to these changes and remain resilient in this fast-evolving landscape.

So think of this season of the Creating Cadence Podcast as a roadmap. In each episode, we’ll explore a different route, but they all lead to the same destination: a sustainable, successful business that supports its people, protects the planet, and remains profitable in the long run.

So if you’re not already part of the cadence club, don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on your favorite pod platform, so you don’t miss out on upcoming episodes where I’ll be sharing practical tools and insights that you can start using right away.

I can’t wait to explore these topics with you over the next few episodes. In the meantime, think about ways to find your rhythm. And remember, it’s not about working harder. It’s about working smarter. With purpose and sustainability in mind.

So thanks for listening and keep moving forwards with courage, curiosity, and cadence.