Sun, blinds and sunglasses | Life Series

I feel quite settled now, but it was an adjustment at the beginning. One of the challenges was to solve the sunlight reflection on the computer screen. Despite the drapes on the windows, the sunlight from behind the desk pierced directly on my computer screen. This issue was nothing compared to the challenges everywhere at that point, but I had to solve it.

I got into a solution mode, and I crossed my very first idea to get a darker drape shade and stop the sunlight altogether. Next.

Install blinds on the windows – the most logical solution for all window problems. But there were some logistical issues – buying the blinds, getting a handyman to install, or choosing to do it myself, then getting the right tools, especially the stud-finder, so I don’t wreck the drywall.

I needed a quick solution, and this project was trending yellow already. I had to come up with another solution and fast.

Plan B – If I can’t stop the sunlight from reflecting on the computer screen, then I need to prevent it from re-reflecting on me: solution – computer screen protectors.
However, Google convinced me that the screen protectors are best for shielding computer glares and may not be sufficient for deflecting the sunlight.
Scratch Plan B.

Plan C – I can’t cover the computer screen, but I can very well protect my eyes. Sunglasses. Yes. I wore sunglasses while working. Since video meetings had not taken off, I was able to carry that off quite well.
Plan C was not sustainable. It was awkward for me, but my family had good fun with my misery. My son even took a picture to show me how silly I looked. Plan C lasted for one day.

Necessity is indeed the mother of all invention. With no options to get blinds or drapes, and the screen-protector (let’s just skip the sunglass part), my iterative attempts finally got me to a simple and elegant solution.

Staples cardboard box became my sunlight protector.
No, I didn’t place my laptop in the box. I used it as the computer stand. The elevation of the screen at a 90-degree angle did the trick. Problem solved.

Now, what’s the point of this blog? I am just about to get there.

The key to my solution was the connections and framing of the problem. My original definition of the problem was to stop the sunlight reflection on my screen. Here I was focussing on what I did not want.

I was leading the problem with what I wanted to avoid and not what I wanted – I wanted to clearly see my computer screen.

That led me to think differently. I was no longer trying to avoid (sunlight) something, but I was instead focused on finding a way to allow me to see the computer screen clearly.

Reflection time.
One – often, we make connections with problems and solutions based on conventional thinking. As in my case, the connection was between the sunlight and blinds, or computer screen and screen-protector or sunglass. The answers, however, often lies right under your nose – under the laptop in my case.

If we are bored, our usual tendency is to reach for the TV remote. The connection is boredom and fun or entertainment. Often we neglect to consider the reason behind our feelings. It’s not always the lack of entertainment but a desire to escape. It could be our default escape route from something hard or difficult priorities. You solve that problem and your boredom will be gone.

Two – the way we frame our problem. Instead of using words describing what you don’t want, try using words or phrases that you want. You are more likely to find a better solution.

In my search to deflect a problem, I reflected on a new way of thinking.