With college far in the rearview mirror, there were classes I never wanted to consider again.
One of those was Thermodynamic…right up there with Differential Equations.
Anyway, in my sustainability class last week, the title of the section in the module caused panic:
“The 2nd Law of Thermodynamics” – EEK!
For those who didn’t take thermodynamics or, like me, had long since forgotten what it was, the 2nd law is the law of entropy.
What I loved about this class is the simplicity of their explanation:
“Entropy happens when systems move to a less ordered state. It went on to say that energy must be applied to bring the order back.”
– MIT Circular Economy Course
The first thing I did when I read this was laugh.
I immediately considered how a house (specifically mine) can get messy over time and you must apply energy to bring the order back.
Then, I wished someone would have explained this concept as simply back in college!
My Perspective
As I moved beyond my initial thought, I started to think about other areas of life and work.
Systems, habits, processes, and more will move towards a state of disorder if left alone.
We need to routinely evaluate and put in the energy to make sure the order remains.
Some people and systems thrive in disorder (or think they do).
However, many are looking for order and organization. As Gretchen Rubin says,
“Outer order brings inner calm.”
– Gretchen Rubin
We can consider which of the 8 dimensions of wellbeing feel like entropy is setting in.
The physical spaces will likely be obvious as we can see entropy.
What about things like days overflowing with meetings? Entropy.
An unfulfilling career? Entropy.
Sporadic workouts? Entropy.
Email out of control? Entropy.
Remember the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics – to reduce entropy, energy must be applied.
Your Turn
Where do you see entropy in your life?
Which dimension of wellbeing needs the most attention?
What energy can you apply to that area to make a positive difference?