How to find Joy in the Slow Pace of Change / Martha Edwards / Ep. #234

What makes time go fast for you, and what makes it go slow...It's a powerful question that might just help you find more meaning and heck, yes even more joy in your work.We see a brighter future, but the system moves slowly. This mismatch can lead to frustration and burnout. What if the secret to creating change wasn't about the system, but about you?In this conversation with Martha Edwards, a public sector veteran, we talk about powerful personal habits that keep her effective and optimistic.In this episode we explore topics like:How to find satisfaction in work that might not bear fruit for yearsWhy the energy you bring to a room is one of your most powerful professional toolsAnd how a simple practice like writing "week notes" can be a hack to recognize your small wins and give you the motivation to keep going.This framing takes the pressure off and allows us to be kinder to ourselves, knowing we’ve contributed a piece to a larger, longer story. I'm curious if this metaphor resonate with you too.Enjoy the episode and keep planing seeds .Be well,~ Marc--- [ 1. GUIDE ] --- 00:00 Welcome to Episode 23404:00 The current state of public sector design07:30 How Systemic Uncertainty Affects Designers08:30 From "Designer" to "Public Servant"09:30 Finding Meaning in Government Work 12:30 How she can find herself still grateful16:00 Big learnings: working as a creative writer18:00 Seeing a "Parallel Universe" at UK's GDS20:00 Avoid the "Design Colonialist" Mindset22:30 How it shifted23:30 government digital service to canadian government28:30 How Sharing Work Waters the Seeds of Change30:30 what she recommends to share36:30 staying patient in a government organization38:00 how do we navigate that?43:30 Exercise to Recognize Your "Small" Wins45:15 Being flexible with your role in the public service industry48:30 How to Make Smart Compromises54:30 Finding Your Joy57:30 Question to ponder59:30 Connect with Martha --- [ 2. LINKS ] --- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marthaedwardscan/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/maredwards.bsky.socialWebsite: marthaedwards.ca Readings:Going beyond planting seeds I’m a service designer and I’ve never done co-design Leading with design at the Ministry of Environment The long slog of public service transformation - by Martin and KaraBarriers to Service Design in Government - Created by Linn Vizard, Marie Serrano and Spencer Beacock --- [ 3. CIRCLE ] --- Join our private community for in-house service design professionals. ⁠https://servicedesignshow.com/circle[4. FIND THE SHOW ON]Youtube ~ https://go.servicedesignshow.com/234-youtube Spotify ~ https://go.servicedesignshow.com/234-spotifyApple ~ https://go.servicedesignshow.com/234-appleSnipd ~ https://go.servicedesignshow.com/234-snipd