With the recent announcement from Amazon that they will be letting individual teams decide their work environments and schedules, many are left wondering how to create the best hybrid work schedule. When the decision is left up to the employee, how do you decide? To determine which days to work from home, ask yourself these three questions.
Which days and in which environments are you most productive?
Most of us have days of the week on which we are most productive. Oftentimes, Mondays are spent catching up after the weekend that passed, and Fridays are spent dreaming of the weekend to come. This is why Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, are often the sweet spots for productivity. However, it varies from person to person! Once you’ve determined the days on which you are most productive, consider the environment that best lends itself to accomplishing tasks. For some, this may be the office where you are free from the distractions of home. For others, it may be at home if you work in a loud or busy office with a lot going on. To create your best hybrid work schedule, discover your productivity sweet spots.
Which days do you have the most meetings?
Meetings can be a productivity killer. And in modern days, when many meetings are held virtually, they can truly dictate your entire day! If all of your meetings are virtual, it can be challenging to participate in the office with lots of noise and distractions. However, if your team is meeting in person, you’re going to want to be in-office for those, naturally. So, consider your team’s working and meeting style to create your best hybrid word schedule. And once you’ve decided, let your team know which days you prefer to have meetings so you can meet effectively moving forward.
Is your company open to “work from anywhere”?
If your company is comfortable with you working from anywhere, it can be beneficial to WFH on Mondays and/or Fridays. This enables you to work from the lake cabin or start work a little earlier and kick off your weekend early on Friday. What’s most important in this scenario is that you respect the policy. Working remotely on Fridays or Mondays doesn’t just give you a “3 day weekend.” You must treat it as a typical workday, with added flexibility. And as always, be sure to discuss expectations with your manager!
Everyone’s situation is unique, and what works best for one person might not work best for someone else. When crafting your best hybrid work schedule, have open conversations with management about what will be most effective for you. And most importantly? Be flexible! The most significant benefit of hybrid work is that it allows for adaptability, so you must be adaptable along with it for best results.
