This is Johanna Rothman’s January 2025 Create an Adaptable Life Newsletter. The unsubscribe link is at the bottom of this email.
In general, I like structure in much of my life. I eat the same (or very similar) breakfasts and lunches every day. I extend that structure to my clothing. If you watch my YouTube videos, you might wonder if I have similar shirts, just different colors. Yes, I do. (And you can tell what time of year I recorded those videos based on my sweater!)
I like this amount of structure because it reduces even the possibility of decision fatigue. I have sufficient energy for my creative work.
You might think my food and clothing choices are rules—but they are not. I can change them to fit my circumstances. I choose not to do so most of the time. My choices create my structures—or I use those structures to create my choices.
On the other hand, I live by some rules, especially those rules involving driving, not stealing, and definitely not committing murder.
Rules circumscribe behaviors. Structures offer principles for behaviors. That’s a huge difference, and some of my clients do not realize that.
Are Your Structures Rules?
However, I often find that what my clients call “structure” is actually a whole large set of rules. If you break a rule, the entire organization might fall apart! Here are some examples:
- We must always use iterations or a specific kind of board because management demands that. Even if a different approach and a different board would offer us better outcomes.
- We must fill out time cards, and we can never have more than 40 hours in a given week.
- We must travel coach—even internationally—because someone, long ago, traveled business class, and spent $1000 more than they should have. Even if we are supposed to get off the plane and into a critical meeting.
I could not live with these rules. That’s because I can see the value in changing the rules to guidelines. But, some people love these rules. Because their rules circumscribe their actions and decisions, they never have decision fatigue.
There’s a cost to zero decision fatigue—zero innovation.
Instead of receiving paychecks for outcomes, they receive paychecks for following the rules.
I cannot imagine a worse way to live. Instead, we can consider when to use rules and when to use structure.
Guidelines (a Structure!) for Choosing Rules or Structure for Decisions
Here are my guidelines:
- I follow societal and other kinds of rules so I don’t harm anyone.
- If this work/task/whatever requires innovation, I expect to experiment inside a structure. (For example, I just changed how I write fiction. I’m using Ulysses on my computer and my iPad and I love it! Totally surprised me.)
- And especially with clients, how can I show my ability to experiment and change, so they can choose to emulate what I do?
Most of the time, I choose principles based on structures. I rarely choose rules.
All of that requires that I see my reality and acknowledge that I create choices for myself. Not everyone is capable of or willing to do that.
That’s one of the reasons I write on this site—so you can see what I choose and decide if any of that works for you.
I want to avoid decision fatigue so I can focus on my creativity. I don’t want to avoid decision fatigue because of rules.
As you consider your decisions, I hope you decide when rules or structure fit your situation best.
Announcements…
I expect to open the registration for the Q2 2025 Writing Workshop 1: Free Your Inner Writer & Sell Your Nonfiction Ideas in the next few weeks. If you write fiction, I have options for how you can use this workshop for your content marketing.
I have just published the early draft of Effective Public Speaking: How to Use Content Marketing With Stories to Show Your Value. It’s only available on leanpub right now. If you do not like reading books in progress, do not buy it yet!
If you are part of the agile community, consider checking out The Agile Network. Also, don’t miss out on discounted membership options. Use Discount Code: ROTHMANPMC33 to get 33% OFF all memberships. I’m speaking several times at the January micro-conference next week.
Links
My Books. (If you’ve read any author’s book, please consider leaving a review. Your reviews help readers find books.)
See my Linktree with all the relevant links.
Till next time,
Johanna
© 2025 Johanna Rothman