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Our workplace, college, and degree define our identities. Our identities shape our mindsets and behaviours.
It has been a decade since I completed my Engineering degree and seven years since I left my IT job. But does engineering ever truly leave you?
My story begins in 2011-2012 during my second year of Engineering when Operating Systems became one of my favorite subjects. It opened up an exciting world of how computers process, store, and retrieve information. We delved into different CPU scheduling algorithms like Shortest Tasks First, First Come First Serve, etc., and their respective advantages and disadvantages, learning when to employ each.
Simultaneously, amidst job applications, contemplating post-graduation options, part-time work to support my single mother, and grappling with persistent depression after my father's demise. I thought to myself that the downside of a CPU adopting the shortest tasks first algorithm is the same as us studying the lessons that have fewer pages, doing the easiest/shortest tasks on our to-do list to feel a sense of accomplishment. However, this often leads to neglecting important, longer-term goals and tasks essential for the future.
Fast forward ten years, now in my thirties, life's demands have intensified. Family responsibilities have grown, work is more demanding, and maintaining health and fitness requires increased time and effort. In this competitive, rapidly evolving technological landscape, continuous upskilling is imperative to stay relevant. In short, life is serious. And using an alter ego a decade ago still helps me manage tasks efficiently while being fair to all aspects of life. My greatest achievement of my 20s has been to successfully avoid/overcome short-term pleasure for long-term goals like discovering my purpose, trying different roles/jobs in IT, startups, marketing and branding, enjoying every day of my work for the last 10 years, dealing with and healing from childhood traumas, identifying my support system, and prioritizing my family. All because of the approaches I learned in Engineering and using them in my life's playbook with an alter ego.
What was the alter ego?
My alter ego was named "Round Robin" after the CPU scheduling algorithm of Priority Scheduling with Round Robin. Also, I have a "round" body type and found it related to my long-term desire to be a social entrepreneur, as in a Robin Hood.
The algorithm assigns priority values to processes, runs the highest priority task for a set time quantum and when the quantum is over, reassesses the priorities and runs the next task with the highest priority. The advantage of this algorithm is that more important tasks are given higher priority and running it in time quantum (and not till the process is complete) makes it fair for other processes to be given the required time and resources.
My goal was clear—to multitask efficiently while being fair to all aspects of life. 20s is the time to discover your purpose and try different roles/jobs to find what’s your calling. But your 20s are also the peak time for your parents. In the next 10 years or so when you are 30 and settling in, your parents will be old. Also, with everything else getting more serious in the 30s, you’ll have less time for them and the generation gap gets too wide to bridge. I learned from my older friends. I didn't want to repeat the same mistakes. I wanted to grow fast and follow my dreams, but sustainably, being fair to other aspects of life than exposure and career. I didn't want to do anything that I may regret later.
And I had just learned how computers do it all.
Being present and switching faster to what was needed was my alter ego's superpower. Technically, it's called context switching. After each month (my time quantum was one month), I reassessed my goals, progress, and priorities. Breaks were as important as the process. It allows for reflection, rejuvenation, and planning for the next. It could be a hair spa day or a short trip.
When it worked on monthly goals, I started doing it for weekly and daily goals, ie., reducing my context switch time, enabling me to prioritize tasks effectively and focus on quality over quantity. Much later after I retired my alter ego, I came across Eisenhower's Matrix of Time Management and Prioritization which underlines a similar concept of valuing priority of tasks. It suggests you divide your to-do list into 4 quadrants on the Urgent-Important Axes. You do the urgent and important tasks, delegate the urgent-but-not-important tasks, schedule important-but-not-urgent tasks, and delete not-important-and-not-urgent tasks.
Over time, Round Robin evolved. I realized the importance of understanding my history and evolution as a human, considering the influence of family, friends, and circumstances on who I am and what I want to become—understanding why I have certain beliefs, and what part of those I want to unlearn helped me develop the self-belief to back myself no matter.
Continuing my journey, I explored additional time management techniques, aligned with my values and goals. I wrote about the Eisenhower Matrix earlier, another technique that's similar to Round Robin is the Japanese technique of Pomodoro. The Pomodoro Technique helps individuals improve their focus and productivity by breaking work into manageable intervals and providing regular breaks to prevent burnout. Both Pomodoro time planning and round-robin scheduling operate on the principle of fixed intervals. In Pomodoro, work intervals are fixed at a certain length (e.g., 25 minutes), followed by teh break time.
Round Robin became how I dealt with any situation. So when I take on a task for the quantum, I always have the bigger vision in mind and commit 100% to the task at hand. So unplanned setbacks, rejections, betrayals, delays, my inadequacies, everything becomes just challenges to be solved, or events in the long process. Emotions differentiate us from computers. For example, when I was processing my depression, I ensured I took my time. By being present I can take time to grieve when I need to, do nothing and be lazy all day. I allow myself the time. For two reasons. One, I understand that a lot of my present trauma is a result of not grieving enough in the past, living in denial and pushing myself to move forward. So lesson learned is to take the time to grieve. Two, in my peak performance time quantum, I know I am capable of covering up for the lost time (moreover, it isn’t a race, right? Why rush? ). Sometimes you’ll go back and forth. You’ll fail. But you are never stuck. And at least for me, that was a success.
Reflecting on my approach now, I recognized a flaw in associating "round" with my alter ego, perpetuating self-deprecating tendencies and neglecting physical health. Thus, I adopted a new alter ego, Invincible, to prioritize physical well-being alongside mental health and multitasking abilities.
Reflecting on my approach, I recently recognized a flaw in associating "round" with my alter ego, perpetuating self-deprecating tendencies. Many comedians do that too. But when you get too attached to your mediocrity it leads to neglect. Not focusing on my physical health in my 20s aggravated my PCOD issues and gave me other health issues. Every alter ego has a specific goal. It doesn’t solve all your problems. The flaw with Round Robin was it, in a way, celebrated my mediocrity and probably why I could achieve everything else but physical health remained neglected. The Alter Ego Community Framework thus ensures that the name and powers of your alter ego are based on your strengths and positive attributes to be developed.
Nevertheless, learning, taking inspiration, and getting better is a lifelong process. Now, I use my sporty, adventurous, and traveller side of me to power another alter ego, that helps me disassociate myself from neglect of my physical health and adopt a healthy lifestyle. I'll write about it too after I achieve the goals. You can follow my journey on Instagram till then.
Your interests and inclinations are important. Your likes make you curious to know more and leave an impact on you. You like someone and magically, their lingo and habits become part of yours too. Your favourite places leave an impression. Reflect on what emotions these likings mean for you. The best part about the Alter Ego Community Framework is that it doesn't focus on one way of doing it but frees you to accept inspiration from anything that "vibes" with you and adopt a strategy that works for you.
For me, the inspiration came from the world of computers. As they say, once an engineer, always an engineer!
You may find some free self-discovery and productivity tools here to assist in your journey of becoming. Check them out!
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