by admin | Aug 5, 2023 | InBiteSize
One year after leaving my childhood home and making the career move to California, someone told me how they led their life, which threw me into an existential crisis. The guidance went something like this: When it comes to finding hobbies, it’s good to have at least three, one that keeps you healthy, one that you can take with you wherever you go, and one that helps pay the bills.
The guidance sent me into a downward spiral regarding the meaning of life. I realized that I didn’t have a single hobby. My day-to-day routine was pretty steady: wake up, go to work, eat dinner, prep for the next day, go to bed, and repeat. The reason may have been because I had always been a risk-avoidant person and a stickler to the rules. As a result, there was no room for hobbies. It was all about surviving and getting from point a to b as safely and quickly as possible.
Things have changed now, for a variety of reasons– the pandemic; entering my 30’s; and living by myself. I’m happy to say that with a bit of inspiration from friends, colleagues, and Spotify podcasts…I have found lists of hobbies!
As defined by Merriam-Webster, a hobby is a pursuit outside one’s regular occupation engaged in especially for relaxation. With the restrictions of the pandemic, I had lots of time to “find” relaxation and learn how to find hobbies. The perk of being in the Bay Area was that the weather is divine, so I had the chance to breathe in the fresh air and walk every street in my neighborhood. As time moved on and we entered the new age of 2023, I started to lack discipline. After a long day of work, I chose lying in bed and scrolling through social media over venturing outside.
Flash forward to June 2023, I was in the middle of house hunting, wedding planning while managing critical projects at work. I was overwhelmed and not taking care of myself. Then, my good friend Maria came in and told me how she got into biking and was planning to do a duathlon. I had sheepishly said my new bike was collecting dust and taking up critical space in my 450 sq ft cottage. If I were to keep the bike, then I must use it. As a result, I signed up for my first professional race, which consists of 13 miles of biking and four miles of running—- more than I have ever done in my life!
I created a vigorous training plan to track my progress and find a new hobby. Now, I’m hooked on the sport! To be honest, there are days I dread lacing up my shoes and heading out into the heat. However, I just remind myself of the feelings of accomplishment that I have experienced after every session and the improvements I have made on Strava week after week. In fact, I am pleased to say that I have biked over 140+ miles and ran at least two 5Ks.
This one was a bit of a struggle to identify because once there was extrinsic motivation involved, the activity felt more like a chore rather than finding a hobby. Nevertheless, I defined this bucket as something that could help me both professionally and personally. For example, I necessarily won’t get a tangible benefit, like a job promotion or superb mental health, right away. However, this hobby could support my long-term life goals and help me improve skills, such as facilitation and conflict management, year after year.
Let’s wind back the clock and return to March 2020. I was fortunate to have lots of free time, so I decided to start a blog to commemorate all the new food recipes I was trying and all the new neighborhood cats that I had encountered. I lacked the discipline to continue it.
Now, let’s jump to March 2023. Due to the passion and wit of Rochelle, we decided to embark on an adventure where we had the space to experiment and share our discoveries. That was the birth of InBiteSize. Hence, my newest hobby is blogging. I see blogging as a place of reflection. I get to jot down all my thoughts about a topic and organize it in a way that helps me make sense of it. Once I understand it, it’s easier for me to apply the learnings in all aspects of my day-to-day life.
Before writing this post, I still grappled with the fact that I didn’t have a hobby for each of the categories listed earlier. However, I have finally learned that it is not about checking all the boxes or subscribing to another person’s life mottos. Rather, this journey has helped me reflect and identify what’s right for me. I’m glad I was able to find a list of hobbies that I want to actively pursue for the fun of it. If there are added benefits, like keeping me healthy or helping a stranger solve a problem, then it’s just a win-win for all.
Beyond that, I have also learned how valuable it is to have partners that are just as passionate to keep me honest and disciplined. So, what have you been wanting to pursue? And, how can we help push you forward?
by admin | Jul 7, 2023 | InBiteSize
Welcome to the first part of our Collaboration Tool Series, where we give you a play-by-play of the various platforms in the market.
I’m sure we can all agree that the events of 2020 have changed the way we live and work. One of the biggest changes has been the move to virtual collaboration tools- whether that is via Miro, Mural, Microsoft Whiteboard, or any other alternative.
For some of us, this has been a huge adjustment. We’re used to pulling out stacks of post-it notes and piles of sharpies, and now we hope folks are clicking away at their desktop and throwing us a few reactions so that we know that they are following along.
You might be tired of hearing sales pitches from each of the platforms, so we’re here to give you our unbiased opinion. Here’s a quick breakdown of Miro.
Introduction to collaboration tools
Just like its competitors, Miro is a collaboration tool that facilitates interactive whiteboards, project management, and brainstorming. It enables teams to create dynamic visual frameworks and collaborate in real-time on documents, sketches, diagrams, and mockups. Adaptable for multiple use cases, Miro can be used for collaboration projects, product roadmap planning, UX/UI design, workshop facilitation, and more.
Miro provides a simple, intuitive interface for teams to quickly create beautiful designs and collaborate on them in real-time. It has the standard array of features, which includes the ability to add images, videos, and audio files as well as sticky notes, text boxes, and retrospectives.
Benefits of Miro
Miro shines through its huge selection of templates in its Miroverse marketplace, where solutions like brainstorming frameworks, customer journey mapping kits, and launch campaign checklists are available at your disposal. If you wanted to try your hand at publishing, it is easy to submit a template and get your name out there.
In addition, Miro has several features that are already built-in into its product. From running a timer to leveraging its estimation app, you have everything you need to facilitate an effective and engaging workshop.
Miro also offers an incredible range of integrations with other popular tools like Google Drive, Slack, Zoom, Jira, and more. With these integrations, teams can easily transfer data between platforms as needed. (Just think, you no longer need to update Jira and Confluence and Miro and, and, you get the picture).
With these plugins, companies of all stages are using Miro as an all-in-one collaboration space.
Where the competitors win
When it comes to products in the market, competitors need to offer more than just a multitude of integrations to stand out. Unfortunately, everyone will need a license even if they want to view your Miro. There’s no easy way to share the outcomes of your team’s last meeting unless you take a screenshot and hope that it is not too blurry.
For others, it may help that the tool has built-in templates that support their implementation of the Scaled Agile Framework. That way, they do not need to surf through the thousands of templates in the Miroverse and instead, simply click a button or two and the template matches the framework.
Though it may be easier said than done, having effective meetings with others is more important than ever in a virtual world. It can be difficult to transition from in-person to online collaboration, and luckily there are various platforms such as Miro that help smooth transitions and meet the challenges of a highly remote workforce. The benefits of Miro allow for creative thinking, better engagement with teammates, and overall success in a virtual setting. While the competition might have an edge when it comes to certain areas, considering how you want to engage with your teams and beyond. Ask yourself–what are the minimum features you need to get started?
ByRochelle Tan
July 24, 2023
Tools & Templates
Mural is a digital workspace that helps distributed teams come together and get work done. What makes it effective is that it’s simple, easy to use, and visually…
Read More
ByCassandra Chew
July 7, 2023
Tools & Templates
Welcome to the first part of our Collaboration Tool Series, where we give you a play-by-play of the various platforms in the market. I’m sure we can all agree that the events of 2020 have…
Read More
ByCassandra Chew
May 10, 2023
Lifestyle
Hello, there! I’m Cassandra. Rochelle and I are pleased to present to you InBiteSize. Before we get into the nitty gritty of the world of transformation, we figured it would be a good idea for you to…
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ByRochelle Tan
April 19, 2023
Book Review,Reviews
Ever wonder how something goes viral? What makes something so infectious? I am not mainly referring to a disease or a virus, but more on the lines of ideas or trends. Often we hear something or…
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by admin | May 10, 2023 | InBiteSize
Hello, there! I’m Cassandra. Rochelle and I are pleased to present to you InBiteSize. Before we get into the nitty gritty of the world of transformation, we figured it would be a good idea for you to get to know us. That way you know where we’re coming from and have the context to apply our tools of the trade to your own world. In fact, as Brené Brown, one of my favorite authors, puts it, “Vulnerability is the core, the heart, the center, of meaningful human experience.” We are here to give you a glimpse into our hearts so that we can connect with you well beyond the words typed onto these pages.
So first, why should you read our blog?
- We’re cool people.
- We’ve been in the field.
- We’re secretly lazy inside.
We’re cool people.
Need someone to join you on the dance floor? Sing a duet with you on karaoke night? Break the awkward silence with the most work appropriate joke? Meet Rochelle Tan. Frankly, she is able to balance this all, while still managing a busy household and herding her various clients. Plus, she has also been a Yelp Elite since 2015, so she’s an expert on giving you just the right amount of information to help you move forward.
Personally, I excel at giving you the most maximist travel itinerary and thinking of the most creative way of engaging folks at work. I promise you that I’m not bragging. My Paris, France google map has been viewed over 200+ times. (Just leave a comment if you’re interested in seeing it. I also have one for Portland, London, and the various Hawaiiian islands).
Also, some of my favorite compliments from work include, “You should host your own game show,” and “I didn’t think we would be able to plan for all the requirements and have fun at the same time.” My philosophy is that if I’m going to be working for eight hours and facilitating all of your ceremonies and workshops, it better be at least worth my time if not yours, too.
We’ve been in the field.
Now on to the serious portion of this post… Rochelle and I met back in 2019. During that time, our company learned that they did not want to be in the business of running data centers. Therefore, they quickly formed tiger teams to figure out how we could move to the cloud. Through trial and error and a bit of coaching, we partnered with other thought leaders to build a successful blueprint that could be adapted to fit the unique needs of each of our teams.
Beyond that, Rochelle and I have 30+ years of combined experience. We have been in a number of different industries ranging from Energy to Gaming to BioTech and in a number of different roles from Business Analysts to Digital Consultants to Agile Coaches and beyond. In each of these roles, we have formed and led coalitions of change agents to drive meaningful change throughout our organizations. We focus on meeting folks where they are, whether they are just starting out on their own evolution or cultivating an environment where their teams can thrive.
And finally, we’re secretly lazy, we mean, highly effective people.
Rochelle has two tweens to juggle, and I’m the godmother of a French bulldog named Mr. Darcy. Between balancing her kids’ hockey schedules and me trying to eat and hike my way through the Bay–along with trying to buy a house and plan a wedding– there is sometimes not enough time in the day, or week, to get things done. We get it. Instead of sifting through books, attending days-long conferences, and finding the right energizer for your next virtual meeting, we are here to give you the best information in bite sized chunks.
So that’s it. That’s why we are here. We truly appreciate you stopping by and joining us on our journey. As you leave us today, here is something for you to ponder, “We are born makers. We move what we’re learning from our heads to our hearts through our hands.” So, what are you interested in shaping with us?
And, yes, that is from Brené Brown.
