Going to the office will never be the same

Offices are going to become job perks

A few days ago Twitter announced that employees will be allowed to work remotely forever. I think this is just a glimpse into the future of work in that going to the office is never going to be the same.

After reading that and hearing Mr. Scott Galloway talk about the future of work on a recent episode of Pivot, it got me thinking about how things are going to change moving forward. As the Senior Partner at my firm said during a recent webcast: “work will not be the same.”

I’m starting to see it. So mute that Slack group, block your calendars, find some good lighting and start looking at that home office gear.

We’re in this for the long run.

WFH is here to stay

Better get yourself those USB C dongles you’ve been needing. That fancy smart mug you’ve been getting Instagram ads for? Just get it. No, really. It’s actually nice. If coffee is your thing and you’re drinking tons of it at home (bye bad office coffee), get it.

In all seriousness, a lot of us who are fortunate to work are doing so remotely. Even for someone like myself who travelled a lot for work and worked at home when in town, this is nuts.

It’s not so much the prolonged period of time (although not knowing when I’ll step foot in the office does have a mental impact). But it’s also the fact that EVERYONE is home.

In my case, it’s just my wife and I. However, we’ve had a lot of learning and adjusting to do. I cannot even imagine my coworkers who have children who are, oh yeah, also at home. For those of you who read this, I am sorry, but I also have so much respect for you. ✊🏽

Will this be the new norm?

For many of us, this has already become the new norm.

James Clear, author of one of my favorite productivity books Atomic Habits, notes that it takes about 2 months to build a habit.

Well, it’s bit a little over 2 months months since my office shut down in mid-March. So for many of us, we have already built our new habits, whether we know it or not and whether they’re good or bad.

Personally, I’m playing the long game. I do not know how long this is going to last, but I do know that I won’t be travelling or going into the office any time soon. That’s lead to my wife and I rethinking not just our apartment layout, but also our entire living situation.

We’re currently in a one-bedroom apartment. It works, but her files are starting to pile up. I’m at the dinner table and the power cables are getting out of control. We both have calls at the same time leading to one of us (me) needing to take them in the bedroom or closet (sound is great btw).

This period of working from home has had a real impact on us and families nationwide. It can also be stressful at times because as much as you try to go with the flow, it’s had to plan for something that’s uncertain.

Playing the long game

I can only speak for my wife and I’s experiences but if there’s one tip of advice I can provide for getting through is is playing the long game. That can mean something different for everyone.

In education, that might mean reconsidering how you want to pursue your college degree. The country’s largest college system just announced the entire fall term would be held online. If more colleges go this route, how does that impact your decision to attend your university? Professor Galloway covered this as well in his blog and New York Magazine.

Childcare? As someone without kids, working from home might seem like a great opportunity for parents to save on daycare and nannies! Wrong. I’ve heard/read/listened/seen how hard it can be to be a parent/employee/business owner/home school teacher/care taker. I empathize with those parents and wonder how they do it. We have a close friend who is fortunate enough to be able to pay for a nanny to care for her child while she works. Unfortunately, that’s not easily attainable for many families.

I also can’t tell you how many ads and Instagrams accounts I’ve seen encouraging people to become entrepreneurs and online coaches. The fact is though, this might be an opportunity for many to take the leap and pursue their own business opportunities and build their personal brand. During a time of uncertainty, you might be in a position where you cannot control whether your current role stays or goes. If you’re in that position, it makes sense to take control of your career and build something you believe in.

What am I doing?

Playing the long game and taking it one day at a time.

Being the productivity nerd that I am, I have found ways to make the most of my time. And given that I’m working from home, I’m able to control how I spend that time.

I can block my calendar for personal budgeting time, runs, calls, breaks, work, lunch, take-out dates with my wife, etc. Doing so has allowed me to ensure I have carve enough time to work on personal projects, like this website and my YouTube channel.

There have been times where days go by and I fall in a rut because I feel like I haven’t done much, but I’m getting better at tracking tasks and so I feel like I’m using my time productively. Checklists can do such wonders.

Anyway – I’ll end here. If you made it this far, thanks for reading!

If you’re interested, I also created a long Twitter thread about this.