I like to keep non-perishable snacks in my purse in case I need a bite during the day. It's an important part of my office go bag!
Original Message:
Sent: 02-21-2023 09:29
From: Amy Finkelstein
Subject: New Connect Poll!
Hi friends, I have also found our office days to be a bit disorienting, and I have a few ideas about how to make it better.
The first is to find out who else is at the office on the days I'll be there and set up lunch or coffee with someone I haven't seen in a long time. That way, even if part of the day is video meetings, I've done something that I absolutely couldn't have done from home.
I try to get a desk by the windows and really enjoy the view of the lake, which I definitely don't have at home.
I also try to keep an "office go-bag" in my backpack with a water bottle, cutlery, a nail file, and other odds and ends that I used to have in my desk.
And my last idea, which I haven't put into practice yet, it to add some small item to the go-bag, maybe a page from the shoe calendar or a postcard I like, to tack up wherever I am to make it seem like "home" for the day. The trick is not leaving it behind, but my plan was that it not be anything irreplaceable and to have a checklist of what's in my go-bag to look at before I leave to make sure I have anything.
I'm interested to hear what else people are doing!
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Amy Finkelstein
Original Message:
Sent: 02-16-2023 11:25
From: Taylor Evans Ghosal
Subject: New Connect Poll!
I'm also team hybrid, @Quinn Drew
It is hard to adjust to making the office feel like it's "yours," especially when you don't have a desk of your own and your colleagues are in on different days. I'm experiencing the Zoom effect too. I find myself Zooming from my desk a lot and I'm afraid of distracting my other coworkers who are also working in office that day! That can add to the stress of being back.
I appreciate that you mentioned patience, because it's not always my strong suit. This article from ideas.ted.com has tips about returning to the office, and the very first one is have compassion for yourself and others.
I think that's an important reminder that we're all adjusting, and that's OK.
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Taylor
Original Message:
Sent: 02-13-2023 08:54
From: Quinn Drew
Subject: New Connect Poll!
I'm on team hybrid: I work from home M, TR, F and in the office Tues/Wed. However, I'll admit that I'm struggling a bit with how to make the most of out of my "office time." The things I loved about working from the office aren't quite there anymore. It's hard to collaborate with colleagues because not everyone is there on the same days, so I find myself on Zoom/Teams for most meetings. I liked having a workspace that felt like a good balance of personal and professional, but without a desk of my own, it feels like I'm spending a lot of my day just trying to "settle in."
On the flip side, I do like the commuting time - time to focus my brain on work, then to switch gears away from work when I come back home. I also like having meetings in person when we can! In particular I've really missed being able to experience emotions in person - excitement when a project is going well, and also working through harder conversations in person.
Here's to it, yeah?
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Stay awesome,
Quinn
Original Message:
Sent: 02-09-2023 09:56
From: Taylor Evans Ghosal
Subject: New Connect Poll!
Have you seen the new poll on the Connect homepage?
With all this talk of returning to the office, I'm curious how many Connectors are in the office, working from home, or a hybrid of both. Check out the poll and feel free to share your answers below!
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Taylor
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