A few tips on working in the new hybrid work model; home vs the office

For many of us, we will be living in two work environments for the foreseeable future. But, working and collaborating face to face in the office vs digitally from home requires some adjustments and an acknowledgement of the little things.

Here are some ideas to consider:

Phone call vs Video; Use a video conference when there is a clear purpose – first time meeting, additional visuals you want to share. A recent Stanford study has found that video conferencing can cause fatigue for a number of reasons so consider if you need video and/or take a voice only option during the conference to relax;

Email or Text? Be thoughtful in your writing, add context and nuance. Don’t forget that sentiment often gets misinterpreted when writing and its easy to come off as harsh;

Define your boundaries; it takes 23 minutes on average to return to the original task following a digital disruption, according to one study . So, schedule when you’re emails are sent, for example. If you send an email at 7:30 at night someone might expect you’re available. If using RingCentral or Slack make yourself “unavailable” when you want/need to be.

Take a break from all contact; Yep, turn it off, sign out, power down, for a day. Let people know you just won’t be available and enjoy the rest, laugh, create, write a song, paint, be creative. In a new book, “Irresistible: The Rise of Addictive Technology and the Business of Keeping Us Hooked,” the social psychologist Adam Alter warns that many of us — youngsters, teenagers, adults — are addicted to modern digital products. Not figuratively, but literally addicted.

Sources: NY Times, Fast Company, Stanford News