‘Work’ is a verb rather than a noun…it is something we do…not always somewhere we go…

In a digital age, where the work we do is ‘produced’, ‘co-created’ or ‘delivered’…sitting at a certain desk in a certain office from 9am-5pm may no longer have place in progress…

Inter-dispersing work into our busy lives is now becoming a reality, much to the delight of creative, dynamic and highly motivated employees.

Personally, my own productivity soars when I work from home. Usually with music or a documentary in the background, I find myself focusing in on the task in hand…I lose myself happily in my job…Things get done.

I try only to come into the office for the following reasons (If I can help it):

• Face to face training
• Productive work meetings
• Networking
• Face to face lecturing
• Collegial support

All of the above could also be done remotely, yet there is of course merit in the human touch, human contact, improvised, idea generating and creative conversations in the workplace. Plus, its always nice to share some cake and a beverage :)…

I am not trying to avoid the commute, the parking issues or the considerate headphones, I am trying to maximise my productivity, because I love my job.

Question…

• Jogging with a co-worker and exploring a new idea
• Chatting with the hairdresser about a potential collaboration
• watching a documentary and being inspired to try something new at work
• Making an exploratory phone call about a new innovation on the school run
• Finding a great piece of music to use on a project whilst at the theatre
• Practising a conference speech list whilst walking around the supermarket
• A 3 hour lunch with a valued colleague

Can we clarify these products as ‘work’?…would we produce more in the office?

 

Don’t hire the best people and then tell them what to do…

Instead ask them (and yourself) the following questions:

• What do we need in order to produce our best work?
• What inhibits us from producing our best work?

Everybody’s needs may be different, and that’s OK… it is our personal ‘best’ that we are trying to set free… At the same time, we must also guard ourselves against ‘work’ obstructions. Does this work for a front line worker?

In the healthcare settings, we often need to be wherever the patient is. Yet our ideas, innovations and ‘work’ can occur as fluidly as ever throughout our inter-dispersed lives. For this reason it can be challenging to find a healthy balance between work and life…. Unless we loosen the ideas around where work occurs and where life happens.

• People caring for other people
• People sharing ideas
• People trying new things
• People creating amazing things
• People doing what needs to be done

These things often happen at any time in any place. Work and life is a thing we do…not a place that we go to (necessarily)….and as Mary Poppins once said:

“With every job that must be done… there is an element of fun, you find the fun and – SNAP – the job’s a game”

Would love your thoughts on this…but…

Until next time, take care of yourselves, and each other 💙💜💚

 

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