Originally published September 8, 2024
First off, a huge thank you to everyone that voted in the poll! There were votes for all the categories and a tie between:
🛁 💼 Self-Care + Work-Life Harmony
👥 💬 Team Collaboration + Communication
So I'll lean a bit heavier in these two topics this fall but you'll also see the other topics worked in as well.
The Commute Gap
Most of the world still goes to work in-person and commutes to and from at least a few days a week. [1]
Which means millions of people who used to commute daily now don't.
And let's be clear, having a commute can absolutely add stress to your day and is by no means a break. Just ask anyone commuting the the DC metro (or any other metro at this point really).
For us knowledge workers though, a commute gives a built-in gap between work and home for the brain to start to transition.
So now, not only are more people working remotely, but remote workers get back 55 minutes per day on average.
Which is amazing, yet 40% of people use that time to work more. [2]
So what's missing?
In psychology, there is a boundary management strategy called "role-clarifying prospection" which essentially means:
Thinking about the hat you're about to wear, before you put it on.
Lots of us already do this already and may not realize it.
Take a moment and reflect: Do you...
☕️ Check your calendar or to-do list for the day while having your morning coffee
🚿 Mentally run through your day's schedule while in the shower?
🍽️ Prioritize tasks in your head while making breakfast?
All of these are examples of thinking about what you'll do before you do it.
We can use this boundary management strategy even more intentionally though.
Using it to create transitions that help reduce stress, improve job satisfaction, and in my opinion are vital for those of us where home and work spaces overlap.
So this week...
Try This:
The 3-2-1 Transition Formula
While remote work is associated with less stress, it's important to note that full-time remote work without boundaries is resulting in increased presenteeism - working while unwell (something I myself can be guilty of). [3]
If you don't intentionally create boundaries and time to transition, it won't happen when working remotely.
Let's dig in and talk about how you can create intentional and flexible rituals to create the context cues for your mind and body as you move between work and personal activities.
