Nearly a month ago, many of us were thrust into a situation where doing business suddenly looked very different. The phrase “new normal” has become a popular way to refer to what many of us are dealing with since our working (and learning) environments have changed.
This article is a collaboration between Dr. Michele Andorfer and Mike Haynes. A little about us…
Dr. Michele Andorfer is the Director of eSucceed Charter school and President of Diamond Innovations LLC. She has served as a teacher, administrator, adjunct professor and consultant. Through her research, she developed a framework called Environments of Success which focuses on the behaviors and mindsets needed to achieve success. She currently uses the EOS framework to help students, individuals and organizations develop the behaviors and mindsets to not only achieve their goals, but to live fulfilling and purposeful lives.
Mike Haynes is the Agency Administrator for CESA 10, an educational service agency serving 29 member school districts in Wisconsin. Mike is also the president/founder of impassionED, LLC. Mike has served as a teacher, principal and K-12 superintendent. In addition to supporting schools and school leaders, a lot of Mike’s recent work has been in the area of organizational culture, with an emphasis on helping others maximize their potential and find purpose and happiness in work and in life.
Sharing several beliefs about behaviors, mindsets and purpose, we decided to delve into ways the pandemic disruption has affected our work and the work of others in our orbit. We are convinced that this “new normal” doesn't have to mean less effective or less desirable. As with anything new, it takes some time to adjust and put into place new practices that will make us successful.
We believe that by taking deliberate steps to address productivity, relationships and self care, remote work may, in fact, work to our advantage. It all depends on the steps we take to ensure our environments include specific behaviors and mindsets that will guarantee success.
Productivity -
Being conscious—and conscientious—about productivity is as important, if not more important, in the remote work environment. Having a set place to work, maintaining a consistent daily routine and establishing ways to hold yourself accountable are critical.
Relationships -
In our traditional work environments, we are constantly surrounded by others and have multiple opportunities each day to build relationships, collaborate, synergize around common goals and connect. Like productivity, being conscious of the importance of team- and relationship -building every day is even more important in a remote environment.
Self-Care -
Self-care in the work environment is more important now than ever. Having an awareness of, and nurturing our purpose is arguably one of the most important skills that can lead to happiness and fulfillment at work and in our personal life. And it is no less critical in a remote work environment.
Over the next few weeks, we are going to solicit feedback from others who, like us, are learning to work differently. We believe that by addressing each of these items, we can maximize the effectiveness of the remote work environment. Please check back as we explore each of these in more detail in upcoming posts. And if you have any questions, or would like to contribute to the conversation, please contact either one of us.