4 Ways to Work Differently Than You Did Before Coronavirus Changed Everything
Just when you think everything can start getting back to normal, change appears once again. Many people are or have begun to return to their workplace, locations, and even some former routines. However, we also may find that things have changed dramatically from the way things were twelve or more weeks ago. And in some instances, we would choose not to return to those same activities. I can speak from my personal experience that many changes I have made in the past few months are more productive than anything I had before. And, in other cases, I still need to make adjustments to avoid spending too much time in the same work mode that I have been in for weeks now.
If there is a silver lining to the change that has been forced upon most of us, it is that we can see alternatives that maybe we had never imagined before. These changes have caused us to realize that things do not have to be the way they’ve always been. (By the way, that option is always available - change can be our own choice too.) To that thought, here are four things you can do to create the adjustments you want and can benefit from in your life.
Change your morning routine
If you are not blasting into your day with a routine that gets you excited and motivated for the day - change it. I am a firm believer that your morning routine is the most critical set of actions for setting up a successful day ahead. Having something to anchor yourself to ensures you can get every day off to a positive start. You can have different routines for different days of the week. For example, Monday through Friday looks different for me than Saturday and Sunday. In fact, Saturday looks different from Sunday, but in all cases, I know what each of those mornings will look like. They are truly routine for me now, and it helps concentrate on what needs to be done after I move through the initial actions of the day. So if your morning routines are not getting you where you want to be - change them.
Prioritize how you end your workday
I am stopping short of calling this an end of day routine, but it certainly could be that. I will admit I find this the most challenging portion of my days. And, by the end of the day, it can mean two things. It can refer to your end of the workday, or this may reference the time just ahead of going to sleep for the night. Once again, I tend to struggle with both of these. Working from home has made the delineation between work and home much more difficult, and it is easy to realize it is much later than anticipated (on a regular basis). Determining where you want to be at the end of each workday is the crucial first step, then prioritize that with the time you want to set to be there.
I find this most challenging due to the end of the day being the last place to be able to catch up on anything that I might have fallen behind on during the day. When I am most successful, I have referred back to my priorities for the day, ensured they are complete, and then close out any open ends that I committed to. When I stick to those priorities, I have more success in feeling like I can walk away from the business day.
How can you incorporate the remote or virtual option into your work even when it is not required? (What does that afford you?)
There are many benefits to working virtually. While there are some challenges, as I mentioned above, it may be an option that was not afforded in the past. What successes have you encountered from working remotely, conducting virtual meetings in the past several months that could help change how you work in the future? Many people have become quite accustomed to virtual meetings now. This may even be more productive for some people than in-person meetings of the past. Take advantage of that. You may realize that you can work from different places and still accomplish everything you need to in your day to day work. Not all retail roles will allow for that, of course, but seek out the options where it might and challenge yourself to look at those with a new point of view.
Plan your meetings or work schedule differently
Another acknowledgment that many people I have spoken to have come to is that the workday does not have to be the same nine to five (using that figuratively - we all know no one in retail actually works 9 - 5) routine we had before. Working virtually means that different hours are available to get work done and communicate differently. That can be a problem too (also as I mentioned above), but it does offer up new potential options on how you establish your morning and evening routines. Look for the changes that could be made, and don’t put any unnecessary restrictions on yourself. Every day does not need to look the same. Even for those roles that visit store locations - change it up and create new free blocks of time for yourself, and even for your teams.
Change can be a good thing. Routines can assist. New ways of thinking create innovation for a better future. Coronavirus has created upheaval in nearly every way possible. There is no denying that this has been a truly terrible human event, but there are aspects that can help each of us learn new ways for the future. Ways that can help us live healthier, connect differently, and work in completely new ways.
What new ideas will you try for your daily routines?
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