Careers
The hybrid working model offers great flexibility for employees and employers. But it is a new way of working and will take time to settle down.
In this short article, we share six tips to help people find balance working from home and plan to get the most from their days in the office. We all want the best of both worlds so plan ahead to achieve a good Work Life Balance in a Hybrid World.
TIP 1: PLAN AHEAD FOR BOTH LOCATIONS
Plan ahead to get the best of both worlds not the worst of both worlds. Using a Hybrid Working Weekly Planner – or similar tool – you can do this on a regular basis.
TIP 2: SET WEEKLY PRIORITIES
Having clear priorities each week helps you get things done and optimise your time. Again, a Hybrid Working Weekly Planner – or similar tool – promotes you to think about the key things you need to deliver each week. This helps you find time for important things during a busy week. It also helps you protect your time when lots of other requests arrive.
TIP 3: HAVE A ROUTINE WHEN WORKING AT HOME
Aim to start and finish at the same time each day. This helps you kick start each day and helps you switch off in the evening. It also gives structure to your days working at home. It becomes an automatic habit after a while and that gives your brain one less decision to make each day.
TIP 4: USE A SHUTDOWN CHECKLIST
Make a list of things to do to complete your working day. This will help you clear work thoughts from your mind. It helps you separate your personal life from your work life. Here are some ideas for these routines but it is important to develop your own list with activities that suit you:
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Shutdown Routine
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Recap your To Do List
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Plan for Tomorrow
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Mute / Hide Devices
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Use a Personal Browser in the Evening
TIP 5: RESET DURING THE DAY
Our energy levels go through highs and lows throughout the day. Tune into this and take control of your day by taking a reset break when you need it. Even 60 seconds between activities can help to Reflect, Recharge and Reset from the next task or meeting. Capture your thoughts and actions from the previous task and then think through your outcome for the next task.
TIP 6: REVIEW AND IMPROVE
This is a new way of working so it is important to review each week and ask yourself: 1) what is working and 2) what is not. Then think through what can be improved. What can you do differently next week to make it a more productive week? This can be done individually but it is also really useful to do this with your team colleagues to Team Leader.
To find out more about our training services, please email us at: sales@olas.ie.
By Moira Dunne, Olas Training Associate.