I was asked to share my thoughts on this by #LinkedInNewsUK:
Going back three days a week after my first kid at KPMG, then phasing back my full time return after the second at London Business School,
These periods were hands down when those companies got the absolute MOST out of each hour they paid me to work. One boss even called me a 'hot knife through butter'.
✨ The idea: fix the hours you work, employ every strategy, innovation and prioritisation to get the most bang - or highest leverage - for every hour you work.
The work does not then bleed outside designated hours. You effectively manage communications using technology such as auto responders, signatures, and even calendar scheduling tech to make this work.
These fixed hours don't need to be limited to the 9-5. You could have fixed early morning or evening hours too. But the discipline is that fixed schedule.
You make a pact with yourself to stick to those hours - triaging what you can take on accordingly. It's not easy initially.
BUT
Your productivity goes through the roof!
Key to this is not jamming up your working hours with meetings and expecting yourself to do the 'real work' outside these hours.
You can do what Newport suggests: for every meeting booked with you, schedule one for your deep work too. If the schedule is too full for this - its too full to take on more meetings!!
This is of course a core topic of 🎙The Executive Coach Podcast. Now, some further nuances:
1) It's less straightforward for 'greedy jobs'. Google this term, but for example, with my frontline social workers, private equity clients, or certain healthcare professionals, we need to nuance this approach for the potentially greedy job.
2) It requires being much clearer on how we spend our NON-working time. Having kids can blur that into reactive mode - think meals with fussy kid, clear ups, homework, breaking up fights! But we CAN get more intentional with that time (reading together, watching a wildlife programme, trying to all clear up in 2 fave songs, dance sessions, family pedicures(!) work for me). I love Laura Vanderkam's 'take one night for you'. I did this last year with a weekly dance class with a friend.
3) The more you like your work the harder this can be! e.g. you get your best work ideas during your leisure or you see a communication you are excited to respond to. SO, know why you're fixing the schedule + what the benefits are for you, then you can decide when to make exceptions rather than doing it on autopilot!
4) Don't forget: relational work is core and must not be pushed out of this schedule.
Have you tried fixed schedule productivity? What aspect do you most struggle with? Let me know on LinkedIn!
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