Daniel Pink just posted on his blog about something that got me thinking. Emotionally intelligent signage . . . in an airport? | Daniel Pink.

In short, the folks at Milwaukee’s General Mitchel International Airport created an area, just past security for folks to get their shoes back on and themselves back together, and labeled it the “Recombobulation Area.”

I just wonder, how many of us could benefit by creating “recombobulation areas” in our lives.  Be they physical spaces to decompress when coming home, or coming in to our offices or whatever, or temporal spaces.

Recognizing that we are discombobulated, and taking the time to take care of ourselves in whatever way we need to get back in harmony with ourselves.  I suspect that if this is done mindfully, the time gained in increased productivity and gain in comfort would FAR outweigh way the time it take to do the recombobulating.

So if you need a walk, go for a walk.  If you need a cup of tea, stop and make a cup of tea, and take the time to really enjoy it!

Tune in to whatever it is you really need, and find ways to give it to yourself.

I really believe that it will make all the difference.

So what’s your “recombobulation area?”  Please share in the comments!

Nathalie Christie is THE tiny soprano. (She calls herself that.)

Natalie Christie - The Tiny Soprano

When presented with a tragedy on the scale of what’s happened in Haiti, or what happened in New Orleans after Katrina or any major disaster, it’s natural to want help. Many of us give money or volunteer our time to help in whatever way we can. This is a terrific thing to do. But some of us are moved to do more. Natalie was moved by what happened in Haiti and by what she saw other bloggers doing — offering something of themselves, of their own work, and donating the proceeds to relief in Haiti.

So Natalie turned to her gift, her art, her voice, and decided to share with us an amazing performance of a song cycle by Samuel Barber. I’d like to encourage every one of you that reads this to go to her blog and click the “buy now” button. Make the $10 donation and download this wonderful recording.

Now, if the term soprano sends chills up your spine, and conjures pictures of a very large woman wearing a horned helmet, let me ask you to set your prejudice aside, and let me assure you that Natalie is not anything like that. She has a truly lovely, lyric tone, and communicates beautifully in what she sings. So even if classical music or opera is not your thing, take a chance, you’ve probably never heard these songs before, sung by anyone, and I think it’s likely that you’ll never have a chance to hear them sung better.

And besides if you’re to make a donation to relief in Haiti, who do you trust more to deliver your $10: your cell phone company, or a professional musician and mother of three.

So do it now, just go to Natalie’s blog, click the “buy now” button, you make your donation through PayPal easily and securely, and be downloading the music in moments.

Thank you, all of you, for participating in this, and thank you Natalie for letting us make a difference through you!

PS — please excuse the somewhat hard-sell in this blog post, this is me, doing what I can do to help the people of Haiti.