The Importance of Synergies

Dictionary.com defines "synergy" as "combined action or functioning; synergism." The American Heritage Dictionary defines it as "The interaction of two or more agents or forces so that their combined effect is greater than the sum of their individual effects." You may be asking yourself, "Why is this important?" Well, for me, synergies are important because they help motivate me. Like the old saying goes, "Kill two birds with one stone"; if you could create two results from one action, wouldn't you?

Let's see how we can incorporate synergy into our everyday lives. I live approximately 2 miles from work. It takes me all of 6 minutes to drive to work, including stop lights and stop signs. I also like walking as a source of exercise, however, I am not a big fan of dedicating time just to "work out". Somehow I feel that the time I spend walking everyday could be better spent performing other tasks. Now if I spend time walking to work, what will this accomplish?

1. In my mind, the time spent walking to work has more of a meaning in my life than time spent "just walking."
2. The routine of walking to work everyday will habitualize after a while thus integrating exercise into my daily regiment while performing a necessary action by getting me to work.
3. I will be getting my daily exercise without having to think about it.
4. I can save money on gas and the wear and tear of my vehicle by not having to drive it a short distance everyday.
5. I can save money by not having to purchase parking permits at my workplace.

Now, let's examine what this decision will cost me:

1. I will have to prepare earlier in the day and spend an hour round trip each day "in transit" instead of just 12 minutes.
2. The flexibility of having the option to "do things on the fly" will be restricted. For example, if I decided I wanted to meet some friends for a movie after work one day and the theater is 6 miles away, I will have to pre-plan to drive that day; else I will have to walk home, then drive to the theater.
3. My options for "on the fly" or "emergency" overtime work could present a schedule conflict.
4. My response time for unexpected emergencies would be significantly increased while at work.
5. Harsh environmental weather (extreme heat, rain, snow) could be overcome, but would require additional pre-planning.

As we can see, the main sacrifice for this decision is time spent, but more importantly, the loss of flexibility when unexpected situations arise. This all needs to be taken into account beforehand. However, isn't this worth the guaranteed routine exercise I will receive without having to push myself to do something "extra" after work? Definitely.