The system of work is changing right before our eyes. And all these is happening because of Covid-19. Getting advice from LinkedIn CEO Jeff Weiner with his large insight of how the world of work is, would be just great.
He believes in taking time out in the midst of a large working schedule, what he calls -Buffer time, a time that allow you to catch up on the industry news, take a walk, or simply to think.
1. Schedule it.
Working from home, especially if you have kids, can be filled with distraction.
Well, for that to work, you also have to …
2. Keep everyone busy.
Your little kid doesn’t care about your schedule. So make sure to give them something to do: a fun activity, or even a cartoon to watch– so they won’t be coming to you every two minutes.
You can try taking advantage of your child’s nap time. No matter what, make sure to have a hard stop that allows you at least an extra 15 minutes for yourself before you need to check back on the kids or move on to the next task.
3. Know what you want to do.
Somethimes when its your scheduled buffer time, you may get tempted to fill it in with another meeting that’s sprung up, or an extra task that you forgot about.
Don’t do it.
“The most important reason to schedule buffers is to just catch your breath,” wrote Weiner once in a LinkedIn blog post. “There is no faster way to feel as though your day is not your own, and that you are no longer in control, than scheduling meetings back to back from the minute you arrive at the office until the moment you leave. I’ve felt the effects of this and seen it with colleagues. Not only is it not fun to feel this way, it’s not sustainable.”
When you realy know what you want to use your buffer time for, you can get into it right away. Remember, your buffer time is your time. It may be a quick walk around the block, or it may simply be sitting and enjoying the silence.
“Whatever you do,” says Weiner, “just make sure you make that time for yourself–everyday and in a systematic way–and don’t leave unscheduled moments to chance.”
Ofcourse, we know there will always be more to do. But if you understand how important those buffer time moments are for your sanity and mental health, you’ll respect them.
“Whatever you do,” says Weiner, “just make sure you make that time for yourself–everyday and in a systematic way–and don’t leave unscheduled moments to chance.”