Full transparency- Freemind Seattle was living (and loving) the hybrid work life long before the Covid-19 pandemic pushed us all into isolation and home offices. While in our in-person event planning and management heyday, we were constantly at client offices, site visits, and on tradeshow floors. It was an understanding of ‘work where you need to work in order to get the job done for the client’- if that means at their place of business, on the road while we travel to the event site, or on your own couch in your daytime pjs taking back-to-back meetings.
Before the pandemic (when our team was a small but mighty group of 3)- we were expected to be at the office Monday - Wednesday, unless we were needed by clients to be somewhere else. While working from home (or wherever we were hanging our hat at the time) on Thursday and Friday. That system worked well for our small team- we were constantly in touch using Skype (and then Teams when it became prevalent) - but we all thrived on being able to have 2 days at home. Sometimes we had more work, sometimes less, but the choice and the flexibility made it an easy environment to complete everything on our to-do lists.
The pandemonium of the pandemic pushed us to try new things, adjust and adapt to the new world order, and expand our team. We were able to pivot from in-person event management to digital/virtual and demand generation for our clients in addition to starting a brand-new arm of product marketing management. It also meant that we were able to really refine our culture of work/life balance separation (you’ll see) and hybrid/remote work. So- what did we do, how did we do it, and what are the key things we keep in mind daily.
It’s not about work/life balance, it’s about work/life separation:
Melissa, our owner and principal, made a declaration not to far back that has stuck with us…it’s no longer about work/life balance. No. There needs to be a work/life separation. When the commute changed from getting in the car to shuffling from your bed to your couch/desk/kitchen table (sometimes that place was all three at once), there needs to be a distinction between work life and personal life. We were all caught up in the big pivot that the pandemic brought us. Up at early hours for clients in other time zones, middle of the night recordings for clients in other countries, long days with back-to-back meetings, leading to long nights getting the work done that was discussed in said meetings. We all needed a break. And so- the work/life separation policy was put in place…
Freemind Seattle Solution- We put a huge amount of respect on other’s personal time. Being cognizant of co-workers working hours and off times helps plan your day and projects around when you will need information and collaboration work. As well as when your laptop is closed, and you are done for the day or just for the moment- you are OFF THE CLOCK. Breaks during the daytime are encouraged- take a walk by yourself or with a pet, meditate, take a nap, read a book, prep your gourmet dinner…Remember that you are not chained to your desk. You can be productive without aiming to keep that Teams icon green. When the weekend comes- it’s all personal time. Like Melissa says, ‘on weekends we wear bras…’ meaning it’s when we do the things that are just personal, just for us.
Curate your personal workspace, at home and in office:
If you hadn’t noticed, during the pandemic, all the edges of boundaries at home got a little…blurred. What was once just a kitchen or a spare room, was now an office (often times for more than 1 person at the same time). That perfect couch for movie nights turned into your go-to meeting place for another day of back-to-back meetings. Bent over backs, cricks in necks, poor lighting and sitting postures, it was not a good look, or feeling. With those aforementioned commutes to our ‘home offices’ messing with our heads more than Seattle traffic on game days, we made the decision to redesign our office and offer a stipend to all employees to improve their work from home space.
Freemind Seattle Solution- A home office stipend to set yourself up for success, comfortably. As well as tech ergonomics at the office desks thanks to our IT team- desks that rise to your preferred standing height, with timers to remind you to stand after you’ve been sitting for too long, adjustable stands for the perfect angle for the laptop screen, chairs with lumbar support and arm rests. Team members spent their stipend for their home office on anything from new desks, proper office chairs for those desks (no more dining room chairs!), lights, and other necessities. Laptop stands for home were supplied by our IT team, so we can work wherever we want- and do so ergonomically and safely.
Human contact is necessary:
The introverts dream of working from home every day and never having to deal with the in-person activities of a workplace that caused so much anxiety in the past turned out to not be a complete ‘dream’. While working from home and being secluded was great for a time and was a comfort for some people after years of office work and traveling, we’ve discovered that it wasn’t the healthiest. Teams’ calls and virtual happy hours, just weren’t the same and didn’t really help with that ache of human contact we were missing. Since our office was only big enough for 3 people before the pandemic, we needed to upgrade our space for our new team members (we’re closing in on 25 now!). So, we moved into a bigger office in the building and created a space that was welcoming and collaborative for whomever worked there.
Data from the latest Work Trends Index report reveals something that we at Freemind have known for a long while…that connecting with colleagues is a key motivation for working in person at an office. The stats back up that statement as well with 84% of employees saying that they could be motivated by the promise of socializing with co-workers. Employees also reported that they would go to the office more frequently if they knew their direct team members or if their work friends were there. Workers in general say they are even more interested in going into the office for their friends and peers than for managers and leadership (no offense, Melissa and Kori).
Freemind Seattle Solution- There is a designated desk for anyone who wanted to claim one and drop in desks for team members who are still more comfortable working from home most of the time. Dedicated conference rooms for in person meetings at the office that can be used for quiet, personal work or collaborative activities. Lunch is more than just a step away from work and your desk, it has become a step back in time, when we used to have constant companionship and contact. We love to take buddy walks to Lect's Soup Stop and Conscious Eatery to pick up food and having the ability to have a face-to-face chat with your teammates, catch up on office logistics, swap advice on clients and projects.
Have some fun:
We take our job seriously- but we don’t take ourselves too seriously.
We take our job seriously- but we don’t take ourselves too seriously. Have some fun with your life! The Freemind Seattle team tries really hard to cultivate a group that is welcoming and friendly, works well together and but can also relax together. We’re not quite a family, more like a group of college friends that ended up in the same industry. We’ve got each other’s backs for work and can kick back as friends after the work is done.
Freemind Seattle Solution- The Fabulous Freemind group chat on Teams is full of happy birthday comments, stories from adventures over the weekend, gifs and us just having some fun throughout the day. There is also a ‘work only’ chat for important things of course. We are a dog friendly office, so many times when you come in, there is a very happy, furry friend ready to greet you- the office dogs take their job of reminding us to take breaks very seriously. Occasionally we host ‘Freemind Fun Times’, time outside of work for us to have fun together! We’ve gone axe throwing, had game nights at the office and more. Sometimes, Thursdays are a ‘Thrilling Thursday ‘at the office, it could be a trivia game we play at lunch for prizes, taking whoever is in the office out to lunch, a movie playing all day so we can zone out for a mental break. There are puzzles on conference room tables for when we need a little fidgeting, and Legos to help us visualize trade show booth builds and when we want to re-organize the office (please, not again, Melissa!).
Examples from the team-
Tips and tricks from the Freemind Seattle team. Take what resonates with you and let us know how you separate work and personal life.
The ‘Listen to Louie’ Method, from Victoria (Can be adjusted to be ‘Listen to the Little Ones’ for those with kids or who don’t have a pet with an ‘L’ name)
When one of Victoria’s cats, Louie (a floofy gentle giant) demands attention when she works from home, she takes that as a notice for a quick 5 - 10 min break. Sometimes it’s for a stretch break, sometimes a wandering walk-about around the house. The key point being to take a break, by listening to those outside influences (that are not work related!) as a way to pull yourself out of the fugue state that is work somedays.
‘Create Your Own SLA’, from Melissa:
Remember you have the right to decline a meeting, and the power to create your own SLA (Service Level Agreement) on when you reply to an email. You don’t have to respond immediately. It’s perfectly ok (and recommended) to take a beat to pause and review before you respond. It will help you maintain sanity. You are in charge of your own day!
Victoria’s Tip- Tell people to ‘Throw any action items in the chat for me since I can’t make this meeting.’ when you have to decline a meeting. It shows that you are still engaged but sets a boundary and expectations.
‘Leave for Lunch’
We’ve all been there, thinking we’ll just work through lunch at our desk, we’ll get more work done, get to go home sooner…no more! Leave your desk at lunch time to give yourself a reminder that you are NOT chained to your desk.
‘Go Touch Some Grass’
When the weather is nice (which is entirely a personal preference), get outside and take a walk. Touch some grass! We work in a tech filled environment, make the active choice to ‘unplug’ as needed.
‘Give yourself accommodations’
Find the way that YOU work best. If that means having a movie on while you work, doing a puzzle while you sit in a meeting or take a LinkedIn learning class, using headphones, having scheduled breaks, whatever it may be. You are responsible for your life and productivity, make it easier on yourself.
If your company or school uses Microsoft Teams-utilize the Microsoft Viva Insights features. Set yourself ‘Focus Time’ to work undisturbed, schedule breaks and times to answer emails.