Watching a barista in Seattle handle a huge rush made me rethink my work stress

I was at this coffee shop in Seattle last Friday, the line was out the door and they were down one person. The main barista, her name tag said Chloe, just had this calm system. She'd take an order, turn to the machine, steam milk while grinding beans for the next drink, all without looking rushed. She even remembered a regular's usual drink without asking. It hit me that my own job feels like chaos because I try to do everything at once with no rhythm. I get five Slack messages and my whole plan for the morning is gone. Chloe showed me it's about having a clear next step, not doing ten things at once. Has anyone else seen a simple routine at another job that changed how you handle your own workday?

2 comments

2 Comments

kai_bennett5d ago

Damn, that's so true. It's like they see the whole line as one big order to work through, not a bunch of separate panics. Makes my multitasking look like a hamster wheel.

xenarobinson5d ago

Totally get that hamster wheel feeling. Once saw a barista handle a rush by just... moving slower, like each cup was its own little world. Weirdly, the line went faster. Makes you wonder if panic is the real time thief.