Ten Tips for Surviving the New Labor Normal

 

For many work roles, especially those in the office, the second year of remote or hybrid work with the face-to-face mode began. The Covid-19 pandemic, still active, profoundly modified the corporate organization and even the very concept of productivity. This is the specialty of Laura Mae Martin, who is dedicated to advising Google executives globally on how to be more productive in their jobs, a role that has become key since March 2020. In fact, the tech giant announced that its employees They should not return to their physical positions until at least September 2021, that the "old normal" will no longer return and that the hybrid model will be the future.

Martin has been with the company for a little over ten years and began working on productivity issues as a separate project from his role in sales. "Side project" is the name given to these projects in which Google employees can invest up to 20% of their time. The need for training in productivity tools and the growing need to improve time use led Laura to take her small project into a role that takes up 100% of her time. From her home, where she works and raises a one-and-a-half-year-old daughter with her husband and dog, she spoke with LA NACION to tell what we learned during 2020 about the main concepts and tips to be productive, even in a pandemic and without greater predictability of how our jobs will be in the coming years:

What is your career?

Marathoner or sprinter. It is important to recognize and understand our dynamics and needs. When the pandemic began, Martin identified different types of "runners." "Among what we call marathoners are people who live alone, or as a couple, who do not have children or dependents. They have gained 2 or 3 hours by not having to travel to offices or attend social events." At first glance it could be said that it is "easier" for them, but the truth is that they have many challenges of the balance of work and rest and structures to be productive and take care of their well-being.

Among the "sprinters" are, for example, the parents for whom the children's schedules are the ones that govern the short moments in which they can focus on work. What group do you belong to? And each one of your team? The agreements between sprinters and marathoners are very important to have possible agendas, effective meetings and communication , and each group leader have to take into account the different needs.

Tomorrow will be a day won yes. Before Covid-19 it was important, but now it is mandatory. Plan how we are going to work on the projects, with the times, and with the roles to have predictability and to be able to communicate clearly. The day before, at the end of the day is a good time to plan what is coming. For example, if you are a sprinter and you have only 1 or 2 hours in which you can focus That you don't have to spend 15 or 20 minutes to search the emails for what to do, or what tool to use, "he exemplifies. Leave everything ready for the sprint and total focus that will be 60 or 120 minutes of work. At Google, they use a planner in which employees fill in an hour by hour how they expect to use their time which they feel is a "contract with themselves." They also schedule "out" or leisure times so that the team can also see that and respect the times of others. What do I need to do to make it an earned day?

Packaged Decisions:

Deciding all the time wears us down. "If every day I open the refrigerator and think among many possibilities what to cook 2 or 3 times a day is exhausting." For example, we can set: Pasta Monday, Taco Tuesday, Salad Wednesday and pack decisions in fewer days and fewer possibilities. Same with work. As far as possible, set up: Mondays for taking out pending, Tuesdays for meetings, Wednesdays for new business, Friday afternoons disconnected. With flexibility and communication, routines can be put together that give rest to permanent decisions.

The time necessary for the coffee to be rich. Martin uses this metaphor to explain the importance of time away from screens and from work. It May seem wasted or boring time because nothing happens, but it is the time it takes to be the best coffee." What happens with time off screens and at halftime. Seeing the messages and notifications that arrive permanently drains us of some energy. The time of technological disconnection and rest gives rise to new brain connections. Many good ideas occur when we let the mind wander or focus on something pleasant like gardening, putting together a puzzle, or listening to music. "Productivity is more than crossing out pending, we encourage afternoons of disconnection and reading contests, for example, to increase well-being and creativity."

The Best Umbrella for The Worst Storm:

The feelings of burnout do not know of marathoners or sprinters. Almost all workers have experienced deep burnout, anxiety and overwhelm in this organizational transition of work. Martin uses the idea of the umbrella to build and cover a "safe zone" to move around. What does my umbrella have to be like so that I can move and fulfill my tasks, what can happen in that storm and what plan do I have for each scenario? What people, what tools, what decisions will keep me out of harm's way?  The organization can work through the storms to make them as mild as possible, but each of us has to show our limits so that others know them and help to respect them ".

 

The example permeates. For rest time, leisure, productivity by objectives and time without screens to be part of the culture, this has to be reflected in those who lead the teams. "It is not enough to say that emails at night do not need to be answered, they do not have to be sent." The example creates the culture of the organization. If you want the team to acquire digital tools for their roles. How much time do leaders spend acquiring and sharing their knowledge with others? Some managers share their calendars where they schedule "leisure" in which they post photos of their time away from work.

Exercise: your new permanent remote job. While the world looks for a course of "new normality", Martin proposes not to wait for that to happen to improve our current state and proposes a possible exercise. "Imagine that you run out of this job now and the next second they call you from another place and tell you have a job identical to your past role but it is 100% remote. It is permanent. What changes would you make for this new role? change the thought of I keep holding on while the old acquaintance returns to take action now on what I have. Maybe I can buy a piece of furniture to have my things from work, throw down a wall or improve lighting, prioritize in my expenses 2 hours a day of a babysitter Get out of the discomfort of waiting and settle into what we have now.

More Visit: Besteconstuition In Singapore Thanks