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Thank you for spending 2023 with me! As we begin a new year together, here are the top three articles in each category: Time, Energy, Attention, and Money (T.E.A.M.), based on the most views.
I appreciate you discussing these topics with me in 2023. I hope you found them useful. There are more in store for 2024!
What decisions around time, energy, attention, and money are you facing in the new year? Please share in the comments.
What does self-care mean to you? Is it a spa day? Is it organizing your desk? Is it playing Baldur’s Gate 3? Self-care is intentionally preserving and enhancing your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health and well-being. For you, a spa day may be the perfect self-care ritual. For your work bestie, taking time to declutter their workspace is self-care. For another coworker, choosing their own adventure in a role-playing video game is self-care. What works for you may not resonate with your teammates. Tune into your unique needs and make choices that align with your well-being.
Taking time for self-care can make you feel guilty, but prioritizing your health is not a luxury. It is the foundation of healthy work-life integration. Discovering your unique self-care routine is a process of trial and error. Explore different activities and be open to reassess what truly brings you both joy and balance. Here are some suggestions.
Meditate: Use a guided meditation app, deep-breathing exercise, or find a quiet space and write a 250 word reflection. Taking a few moments each day to practice mindful meditation can help calm your mind, reduce stress, and improve overall mental well-being.
Exercise: Whether it’s going for a walk, attending a fitness class, or practicing yoga, exercise not only promotes physical health and good sleep but also releases endorphins. These are “feel-good” hormones that positively impact your mood. Regular physical activity uses your body to take care of your mind.
Sleep: Speaking of sleep, sufficient and quality sleep is a highly underrated form of self-care. Try to go to bed at the same time every night and get up at the same time every day. Create a comfortable environment by adjusting the room temperature, noise level, amount of light, and all the variables that help you get an adequate amount of rest each night.
Detox: Take a break from the constant influx of information from your digital devices. Put your screens away an hour before bedtime and read a book. Avoid social media for a weekend. A digital detox increases your mental clarity and reduces your stress.
Create: Paint, build a model pirate ship, or play a musical instrument. Whatever your outlet for self-expression and emotional release is, make time for it. Such activities are therapeutic. They allow you to process your emotions and tap into a part of yourself that your work-life responsibilities may not use.
Nourish: Fill your body with high quality fuel. Replace that doughnut with blueberries and low-fat yogurt. Go meatless for one meal a week. Instead of snacking on potato chips, try almonds. Take time to read nutrition labels. When you consume food and drinks that are low in simple carbohydrates and sugar you are literally taking care of yourself.
Connect: Maintain key relationships. You can hang out in-person, videoconference, text, or call. Whatever medium allows you to spend time with the people you love helps you maintain a sense of belonging, support, and emotional fulfillment.
The next time you wonder, “Is this self-care?” remember that you get to make that decision guided by your unique needs, desires, and understanding of what makes you feel well. You may find extra time on your hands this week between Christmas and New Year’s Day. If so, please use it to do something that makes you feel good. Even if that something is nothing at all.
What will you do to take time for yourself this holiday season? Please share in the comments.
Here in the technology space there is a lot of murmuring around unlimited Paid Time Off (PTO) as an employment benefit. As of October 1, 2023, 43.16% of job listings in the technology sector offered unlimited PTO. Is it the answer to better work-life integration and increased job satisfaction?
Productivity: You want to enhance employee well-being, but unlimited PTO inherently carries the risk of abuse. A sudden surge in leave requests can halt delivery on a contract. Traditional PTO policies provide structure for you to manage workloads effectively. With unlimited PTO, how do you both anticipate and mitigate potential gaps in staffing? How does this unpredictability affect project timelines?
Policy: The absence of a clear legal framework can lead to potential disputes with your workforce. The United States does not legally require paid time off for workers, so it is a business expense for companies that offer PTO to employees. Unlimited PTO must have an expiration date so you can budget. Many states expect businesses to pay out earned time off when an employee leaves the organization. In August, CBS News reported that American companies are carrying about $224 billion in liability for employees’ unused PTO. If employees are not earning PTO, then companies do not have to pay them for what they do not use. How will you address employees’ expectations of getting paid for unused unlimited PTO?
Panic: How do you know how much time off is too much? Last March, Forbes found that employees with unlimited PTO only take 10 days off annually. Why? Fear, too much work to do, and pressure from their managers because of the timing. When employers do not have rules around PTO, every request is a negotiation and instead of a contractual term of employment, time off becomes a moral issue. Can the company afford to pay you to not work? If your manager thinks you take too much time off, does that negatively impact your next promotion?
Peers: You may feel compelled to match your teams’ work habits. But accumulating significant amounts of unused time off can lead to burnout. Do your coworkers grumble about filling in for you? Will you be labeled a slacker if you take extended time off?
Expectations: The goal is to balance the employer’s need for productivity and the employee’s desire for flexibility. Establish transparent guidelines outlining expectations for both individual contributors and managers. Clearly communicate that taking time off is not only acceptable but also encouraged for maintaining healthy boundaries.
Check-In: Schedule regular check-ins to assess workloads, stress levels, and job satisfaction. Encourage open communication between teams and managers to address concerns and prevent burnout.
Train: Equip managers and individual contributors to effectively navigate the challenges of unlimited PTO policies. Help supervisors acquire skills to manage workloads, plan for time-off coverage, and create an environment that values both productivity and employee well-being. Clearly communicate unlimited PTO policies to your workforce.
Adjust: Conduct periodic reviews of the unlimited PTO policy to assess its impact on productivity and employee satisfaction. Employers need to be willing to continuously improve the policy based on employee feedback and changing organizational needs.
While unlimited PTO seems like a perfect solution to work-life integration, it comes with its own set of challenges. Striking the right balance between flexibility and productivity requires thoughtful implementation, clear communication, and a commitment from both employers and employees to make it work.
Does your organization offer unlimited PTO? Please share your experience using it in the comments.
The workforce spent 2023 dealing with disruptions. Unions on strike, the influence of ArtIficial Intelligence (AI), mass layoffs, and too many more to list here. Relationships between employers and employees can be challenging under the best conditions. Throw in a wrinkle like negotiating remote/hybrid business models and soon you are managing change more than you are serving customers. With 2024 rapidly approaching, what issues should you pay attention to?
The seismic shift towards remote work that began as a temporary fix to keep businesses open during COVID-19 is here to stay.
Employers: Invest in tools that secure data and facilitate seamless collaboration across geographically dispersed teams. For example, Microsoft Teams, Slack, Basecamp, etc.
Employees: Hone your digital communication skills and set up a remote workspace conducive to this new work environment. For example, adequate lighting, a neutral background, and a quality headset for videoconferencing.
Normalize continuous learning. Technology renders some skills obsolete and creates demand for new ones faster than you think. AI is a great example.
Employers: Provide training to help your workforce collaborate effectively with AI.
Employees: Acquire a basic understanding of AI and identify ways to leverage it in your role. LinkedIn Learning has some great courses. They are free if you have a Dayton Metro Library card.
And don’t forget the importance of soft skills, or what I like to call, power skills.
Employers: Positively reinforce qualities like emotional intelligence, adaptability, empathy, and effective communication in your workforce.
Employees: Develop those power skills mentioned above. They will enhance your individual performance and make your work environment more positive and collaborative.
Diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) are no longer just buzzwords. They are critical components of a thriving workplace.
Employers: Prioritize DEIB initiatives. They not only foster a culture of innovation in your organization, they also help you reach new customers.
Employees: Volunteer to be on project teams whose members do not look like you.
There is a link between a healthy, engaged workforce and overall business success.
Employers: Offer initiatives like mental health support, flexible work hours, and wellness programs in your employee benefits package.
Employees: If your employer does not offer such initiatives, then prioritize work-life integration, set boundaries, and communicate openly to your manager about your well-being.
You know the gig economy is a thing when the IRS has a Gig Economy Tax Center page on its website. Understanding how to navigate and thrive in the gig economy is a valuable skill for both employers and employees.
Employers: Tap into the gig economy to access specialized skills on a project by project basis.
Employees: Embrace the freedom and autonomy it affords and check the employee handbook for the rules around moonlighting.
Corporate social responsibility and environmental sustainability are no longer optional. Employees are increasingly seeking employers who align with their values and contribute positively to society.
Employers: Integrate sustainability practices into your operations to attract the talent you need.
Employees: Consider the moral and social impact of your organization’s actions. It has a direct impact on the culture of your workplace.
Technology advancements and societal changes are constants every year. A heightened awareness of the importance of a holistic approach to work is a recent transformation that will continue in 2024. The trick for both employers and employees is how to use these trends to drive success both for your organization and your team.
What 2024 trends did I miss? Please share in the comments.
Stand up, close your eyes, and balance on one foot for 10 seconds. Did you feel your body adjusting for the entire 10 seconds to keep you from falling over? If the constant tension of managing your time feels like balancing on one foot with your eyes closed, it helps to have a decision-making process to fall back on. Let’s explore the four Ds of time management: delete, delegate, defer, and do. How can you implement these strategies to get your urgent tasks as well as your most important tasks done?
Not every task is of equal importance, and some activities may not significantly contribute to your overall goals. By regularly purging non-essential tasks, you free up valuable time and mental bandwidth so you can focus on the more critical aspects of your work. First, identify items that are low-priority, redundant, or simply unnecessary. Then, pull out your latest job performance review and compare it to your task list. To effectively delete, ask yourself:
Recognizing you can’t do everything on your own and empowering your team to handle specific tasks can significantly increase overall efficiency for the whole organization. By sharing responsibilities, both you and your team can optimize your time, energy, and attention for the tasks that require each person’s specific expertise. This practice cultivates a more productive, collaborative, and pleasant work environment. To effectively delegate:
You want to get a task done so you can check it off your list and move on to the next but some tasks would be more efficiently done if you stop to think about them. You should take time to contemplate tasks whose results have lasting consequences on processes, people, and/or payroll. These decisions usually require multiple sources of information and/or resources that may not be at your fingertips. Deferment allows you to address tasks at optimal moments and avoid unnecessary stress for you, your team, and your organization. To effectively defer:
Procrastination often leads to increased stress and a backlog of tasks. This hinders your overall productivity. If you promptly address tasks that can be completed in the moment, then you will prevent a workload buildup and maintain a sense of control over your responsibilities. To effectively do:
Mastering the four Ds of time management is a powerful decision-making strategy. It helps you create a more streamlined and efficient workflow and ensures your time is spent on tasks that align with your organization’s goals as well as your personal priorities.
Do you use the four Ds? Please share how in the comments.
“Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life,” Confucius said. Or Mark Anthony said or Mark Twain said depending on which Googled source you believe. In the mid-1990s the phrase “follow your passion” became popular advice to job seekers looking for their right career. But people who know about careers, like Mark Cuban and Cal Newport, disagree with that advice. Will following your passion lead to career success or is there a better path?
One of the major issues with the “follow your passion” advice is your passion may not align with the skills and competencies the job market requires. For example, just because you are passionate about playing video games does not mean that you have the skills necessary to be a professional gamer, game developer, or game script writer. Another downside of pursuing your passion as a career is that it blurs the line between work and leisure. When a passion becomes a job, the pressure to both perform and to pay your bills detracts from the original joy the passion generated. Additionally, the belief that doing what you love guarantees success can lead to unrealistic expectations. The job market is harsh. Repeated rejection leaves you disappointed, disillusioned, and burns out your passion. Relying solely on your current passion is dangerous because it changes over time. As you develop new interests you may soon find yourself in a career that no longer aligns with your passion.
Instead of following your passion, evaluate where you spend your time and effort. What tasks do you perform really well? What activities do you love? What skills do you enjoy improving? The answers help you discover what you are genuinely good at and allow you to bridge the gap between your interests and practical competencies. For example, if you write code in Python for fun, this may be an expertise you want to intentionally grow and obtain certifications for. Spending your free time to hone specific skills is a strong indicator of both your aptitude and potential for career success in that passion.
Once you have identified your strengths and skills, seek job opportunities that align with them. Look for roles and industries where your natural talents and proficiency can shine. Continuous learning is vital for staying competitive in today’s ever-evolving job market. Dedicate time and effort to training and practical experience so you can further develop the talents you pinpointed. Keep your eyes open for new roles that may not have been on your radar initially but are closely related to the competencies and interests you defined. Being flexible can lead to exciting career paths you may not have otherwise considered.
Relying solely on your fickle passion is risky business for career planning. Evaluating where you spend your time and energy is a more accurate gauge of the jobs you would both like and be good at.
How does your job play to your strengths? Please share in the comments.
The United States Internal Revenue Service defines full-time employment in terms of hours. Their standard is an average of 30 hours per week or 130 hours per month. You can sit at a desk for those hours and wait for the email notification to ding, but is that productive? If you secure a new customer over a lunch hour, do you have to work another 39 hours that week?
Rooted in the labor movements of the 19th and early 20th centuries, the 40-hour work week was established to protect workers from exploitation, ensure work-life balance, and promote economic stability. Technology, remote and hybrid work arrangements, and a shift in how we measure productivity, makes this rigid structure unsuitable for a wide range of jobs and industries.
Employees are increasingly prioritizing autonomy while employers are increasingly recognizing the value of results over hours logged. The result is transforming the way employees are compensated. Instead of being paid solely for the number of hours worked, employees can be compensated based on their skills, the networks they bring to the organization, and the outcomes they deliver. For example, freelancers, gig workers, and project-based contractors are compensated for completing tasks, the quality of their output, delivering specific results, and the impact on the organization’s success, rather than for a set number of hours worked. This approach aligns more closely with the idea that the value an employee provides to the organization is not solely a function of their time, but the quality and impact of their work. We talked a couple of months ago about how being busy is not a reflection of productivity. With the aid of technology, it is now easier to track and assess work progress and results, no matter where, when, or how an employee chooses to work. Key performance indicators (KPIs), project milestones, and deliverables are more significant in assessing an employee’s productivity rather than the mere number of hours spent at a desk.
In a traditional office setting, it’s easier to monitor and manage employee performance, but in the age of remote work, new methods and tools are required to maintain accountability. Here are some basics.
The demise of the 40-hour work week is not the end of structured work but a transformation that better aligns with the demands and opportunities of the modern workplace. As remote and hybrid work arrangements become more prevalent, a new model of compensation and productivity measurement emphasizing flexibility, autonomy, and results ultimately benefits both employees and employers.
If you are not paid for your time, then by what measure do you get paid? Please share in the comments.
When COVID-19 hit, networking went from in-person happy hours and handshakes to online webinars and QR codes for LinkedIn profiles. What practices did we learn during the pandemic that we should keep for 2024?
Conferences, seminars, and mixers gave you a forum to connect. You met new people, exchanged business cards, and mingled face-to-face. This environment facilitated reading non-verbal cues, making a strong first impression, and building relationships through direct personal interactions.
Platforms like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and LinkedIn Groups are essential networking tools. This shift towards virtual gatherings has reduced geographical constraints. You can network with people from around the world without leaving your home or office.
Online platforms are useful tools especially for follow up and staying connected. In-person still makes a bigger impact. You interpret non-verbal cues more correctly in person which is vital to meaningful communication. Whether meeting online or in person, focus on getting to know the people in the room as people. Find your common interests. What is their story? What do they do for fun? When meeting online, use the chat feature to exchange email addresses and social media handles and use them to share relevant content and resources.
The catchphrase, “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know,” made networking feel like a soulless, necessary evil to build your career.
Networking is about building community.
Networking is about know, like, and trust. That takes time, energy, and attention. Be in person with people as much as possible, then get to know them better by connecting with them online. Keep your social media profiles up to date. They should reflect your current professional status and interests. Build rapport with your network by commenting on and liking their posts and direct messaging them. Introduce them to potential collaborators through email introductions. Mention shared connections and why you think the two of them can help each other.
In-person networking often involved going to the same type of events over and over and engaging in light conversations about the weather, sports, or current events to break the ice.
Networking in 2023 has shifted towards content-driven conversations. With the rise of remote work and virtual meetings, discussions have become more focused on professional topics, industry trends, and shared challenges and less focused on small talk.
Know enough about what is going on in the world to meaningfully contribute to discussions. Share valuable content, such as articles or podcasts, to establish yourself as a thought leader in your field. Mentor someone from whom you want to learn. Trade your expertise for theirs. Use networking events and social media platforms to seek out and connect with professionals who share your interests. Being a thought leader is networking. Presenting at a local Rotary Club is networking. Serving on a non-profit board is networking. To thrive in 2024, integrate elements of both virtual and in-person interactions and you will have the tools to exponentially grow your network.
How is your networking different now than it was pre-pandemic? Please share in the comments.
We talk a lot about mindset because it’s one of the keys to making wise choices. This week, let’s explore “main character energy” mindset. What is it? How can you use it to advance your career?
In a play, novel, or movie, the main character is the focal point of the story. Their actions drive the plot forward. Main character energy (MCE) is seeing yourself as the central character in your life’s story. It encourages you to step into your own narrative and acknowledge that your choices and behaviors are instrumental in shaping your future. Here are some key characteristics of MCE.
Your career is a major plot line in your worklife story. Write it according to your vision and goals. Embrace your role as the main character and make your story matter.
How do you portray yourself to yourself in your worklife story? Please share in the comments.
Mom texted me a photo of a new shirt she bought. The caption on the front says, “Hold on, let me overthink this.” It’s perfect for Halloween. What’s more scary than your imagination?
Overthinking is like overcooking. When you overcook something its quality decreases and it doesn’t taste as good as it would have if you hadn’t overcooked it. As you attempt to make the best decisions and achieve your worklife goals, how do you avoid getting trapped in the web of excessive overthinking? Let’s talk about how to recognize overthinking and ways to stop.
It’s essential to think critically and make informed decisions but excessive analysis erodes your productivity and well-being. Control your thought processes by recognizing the symptoms of overthinking and implementing strategies to overcome it. Balance thoughtful consideration with taking action. Sometimes, the best way to move forward is to simply take that first step without overthinking it.
What do you overthink about at work? Please share in the comments.