Time To Prepare For “Normality” - 10 Things To think about
Although the next phase of how the world deals with this pandemic will still be far from normal we are inching closer to being able to do more of the things we used to do and hopefully want to do.
In many respects, especially if you are reading this in a country that is vaccinating at pace, we are in the waiting room or if you want a more dramatic metaphor we are waiting to jump out of an aircraft wearing a parachute. So now, critically, it’s time to have a think about how prepared you are.
Here are 10 things to think about.
(1) Make A List Of The Things You’ve Enjoyed About The Last 12 Months
Take 15 minutes (double that if you do number 2 on our list at the same time) and list the things which you have found positive and enjoyable about spending more time at home. Now some of those things are going to be impossible (bed to first non-camera Teams call in 60 seconds, for example) but many will not be. It’s important to make the list and grade how important they have been to your happiness. Don’t lose the critical ones.
(2) Make A List Of The Things You’ve Disliked About The Last 12 Months
Some of these will be a function of prolonged periods of time spent at home. They can be ignored but do have a think about your work and business life and what hasn’t worked. Perhaps that’s a wider issue and it is time for change.
(3) Keep Those Good Habits In Mind
More walking ? Less pointless spending ? Making your own lunch ? List them all. 12 months should have made these new habits permanent but take care not to lose them when you start to move away from home.
(4) List The People Who Kept You Happy
Some people have been with you every step of this pandemic and, hopefully, you with them. Make that list. These are good people. Prioritise them and meet them in person when you can.
(5) List The People Who Either Annoyed You Or Were Noticeably Absent
Sure there may be some allowances for this group of friends who could have done more to stay engaged but beyond that this is a list of people who you perhaps spent too much superficial time with pre-pandemic. The last 12 months have broken those links. Let them fall.
(6) Audit Your Time Over The Next Few Weeks
Log your time over the next few weeks. When you are actually at your desk working, when you are being productive, your breaks, your reading and prep time and the periods you are on calls and virtual meetings. Once you have some healthy averages it’s worth overlaying this with how you’ve felt. Why ? It’s a great opportunity for you to control (as much as you can) your workday routine. If working from home has allowed you to phase tasks more productively then it would be shame to lose this entirely when you return to the office.
(7) Look At Your Work Tools And Methods
You’ve probably been just as productive with less tech and supplies. It’s easy to print out every piece of paper when the corporate printer is across the office, at home you’ve probably been more considered. Same with meeting duration. If a 30 minute virtual replaced a 60 minute physical don’t go back.
(8) Don’t Over Schedule
As active as we have tried to be we’ve largely been ‘masters’ of our own schedule with a lot less running around. That’s all about to change with more options work and leisure wise. Ease back in to things. Enjoy the new found freedoms - if you enjoyed eating with the family more in the evening then try to create more “hard stops”.
(9) Have A Think About Your Commute
Is there a better way of travelling ? A better time to set off and return ? If your organisation is looking for a flexible approach to presence then be ready to suggest what works for you.
(10) And Finally, We Get To Be A Little Self Serving
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mark Izatt is a brand consultant living in London and founder of Mission Critical, a highly focused and curated weekly briefing for time poor and information hungry decision makers.
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You can email Mark here and read about his recently published book ‘Mission Critical - 101 tips to survive and thrive at work in the office, on the move and at home’.
