White space is a strategic pause taken between activities. -Juliet Funt
Juliet Funt is the CEO of WhiteSpace at Work and she offers some great advice on how to manage productivity especially given that many of us are now working from home (WFH).
She suggests for those who don't have a dedicated workspace in their home to create what she calls a functional, removable and repeatable work-from-home environment. This could be a laptop, cell phone, and notepad along with a photograph or plant. Each of these things can be easily set up and put away but they offer a structure that encourages getting into a mode of productivity when needed and also removes work from view during 'down time'.
With stress running high, Funt also suggests making an appointment each day with the things that are concerning you. Take ten minutes in which you give yourself permission to worry, ruminate and feel. This dedicated time helps minimize worry throughout the day, allowing you to focus on work and other immediate tasks.
Juliet Funt is the CEO of WhiteSpace at Work and she offers some great advice on how to manage productivity especially given that many of us are now working from home (WFH).
She suggests for those who don't have a dedicated workspace in their home to create what she calls a functional, removable and repeatable work-from-home environment. This could be a laptop, cell phone, and notepad along with a photograph or plant. Each of these things can be easily set up and put away but they offer a structure that encourages getting into a mode of productivity when needed and also removes work from view during 'down time'.
With stress running high, Funt also suggests making an appointment each day with the things that are concerning you. Take ten minutes in which you give yourself permission to worry, ruminate and feel. This dedicated time helps minimize worry throughout the day, allowing you to focus on work and other immediate tasks.
Funt also offers this seven step plan for making the most of your workday and maximizing WFH productivity.
1. See the Route: begin your day by thinking through what will you get done and how you willaccomplish these tasks
2. The Paper Anchor: write down on PAPER the 3 to 5 most important accomplishments for your day to gently guide you
3. Visual Groove: create an arc of effectiveness on your desk. Set up your workspace the same each day to get you into your daily routine
1. See the Route: begin your day by thinking through what will you get done and how you willaccomplish these tasks
2. The Paper Anchor: write down on PAPER the 3 to 5 most important accomplishments for your day to gently guide you
3. Visual Groove: create an arc of effectiveness on your desk. Set up your workspace the same each day to get you into your daily routine
4. The Wedge of White Space: take breaks as cued by your needs. Listen to your body and note when your focus declines, your creativity wanes or your body simply needs to move
5. Check Emails at Intervals: checking emails or taking calls on demand is distracting. Set times in the morning, afternoon and before ending your workday to deal with these communications
6. Kids Parking Lot: for those with children at home that are old enough, set up a white board or bulletin board where they can post needs or requests for help. Check it once every hour to help manage interruptions
7. Trap Yourself in a Public Promise: Working from home means we are ALWAYS at work. It can be tough to walk away or establish set hours but it is vital that we do. Make a public announcement to your family, kids, or a friend that helps you stop working. If needed, establish a 'boundary buddy' who will keep you accountable to set reasonable work hours.
An April 2020 Bloomberg article noted that since we bgan WFH, 45% of employees are burnt out, stressed out and working an additional three hours a day. Why? Because what else do we have to do? We want to feel productive and in control of something so we throw ourselves into our work. But that comes at a cost.
In the article, Huda Idrees, the chief executive officer of Dot Health, a Toronto-based technology startup, confirms her 15 employees are working, on average, 12-hour days, up from 9 hours pre-pandemic. “We’re at our computers very early because there’s no commute time,” she said. “And because no one is going out in the evenings, we’re also always there.”
The article goes onto say one big problem is there's no escape. With nothing much to do and nowhere to go, people feel like they have no legitimate excuse for being unavailable.
By implementing the White Space steps above, you can guide yourself to a more managable and effecient workday that minimizes feelings of burnout and creates a more defined balance between work and home.
5. Check Emails at Intervals: checking emails or taking calls on demand is distracting. Set times in the morning, afternoon and before ending your workday to deal with these communications
6. Kids Parking Lot: for those with children at home that are old enough, set up a white board or bulletin board where they can post needs or requests for help. Check it once every hour to help manage interruptions
7. Trap Yourself in a Public Promise: Working from home means we are ALWAYS at work. It can be tough to walk away or establish set hours but it is vital that we do. Make a public announcement to your family, kids, or a friend that helps you stop working. If needed, establish a 'boundary buddy' who will keep you accountable to set reasonable work hours.
An April 2020 Bloomberg article noted that since we bgan WFH, 45% of employees are burnt out, stressed out and working an additional three hours a day. Why? Because what else do we have to do? We want to feel productive and in control of something so we throw ourselves into our work. But that comes at a cost.
In the article, Huda Idrees, the chief executive officer of Dot Health, a Toronto-based technology startup, confirms her 15 employees are working, on average, 12-hour days, up from 9 hours pre-pandemic. “We’re at our computers very early because there’s no commute time,” she said. “And because no one is going out in the evenings, we’re also always there.”
The article goes onto say one big problem is there's no escape. With nothing much to do and nowhere to go, people feel like they have no legitimate excuse for being unavailable.
By implementing the White Space steps above, you can guide yourself to a more managable and effecient workday that minimizes feelings of burnout and creates a more defined balance between work and home.
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