Are You A Work Warrior, A Phone It In Person, A Triple Booker or a Master Professional?

I

've been back in the formal workplace for almost 2 months - after 5 years of consulting. And lots has changed. Some due to advances in technology. Some the result of COVID and work from home. And some the consequences of just bad practices.

But the one habit I hate the most taht has taken root is the back to back to back 30 minute video meetings that are scheduled from 8am to 6pm without regard for anyone's workstyle. Now there may be some people who love being on back to back to back 30 minute video calls everyday. But I am not one of them. And I categorize those people into one of three groups. The first group I call "The Work Warriors". The warriors are the fastidous workers who take back to back meetings and then stay on their computers working until 10 or 11pm each night to get the work done generated from the meetings and the unrelentless emails and slacks that have poured in throughout the day. The second group I call "The Phone it in Group". These pople are the workers who just don't care about what occured in the endless stream of meetings and end their day when the meetings are over and leave the work to others to actually get done. The third group are the "Triple Bookers". This group says yes to every meeting that pops up on thericalendar, but only show up to one meeting, and leaves the rest of the meetings underproductive becasue of their abscene. These people also double task during the one meeting they are present for and offer little value because theri mind is else where. To be honest, I don't want to fall into any of these groups. The first is bad for my mental health and my role as a mother, friend and my new found internal exercise warrior. The second group are employees I just can't tolerate - and I will never be one of them. And the thrid group are rude; they value their time more than my time. So I am left with a great dilemma.

So to take control I am creating a fourth group "The Master Professional". To be a Master Professional I am establishing new norms. I hope these new protocals will save my sanity, enable me to produce better work, and be a happier employee and person. I am starting with 5 new rulese.

1. My job requires thinking and writing, so i will block out at least three hours a day to get my work done. I will extend my work day on the back end a bit, so I can exercise in the morning.

2. When someone ignores my busy / not available timeblock - I will not make exceptions and declare their meeting more important than my time. I will reach out to them and understand if I am I must have at the meeting and adjust my time block accordingly.

3. I hate 30 minute meetings - by the time you get to the gut of the matter, there is no time for debate or define next steps. I will schudule 45 minute meetings to ensure debat and next steps can be defined. I will leave 15 mins inbetween meetings to capture my thoughts, go to the bathroom, stretch my legs, get something to eat.

4. I will honor others time and not schedule meetings before 9am or after 5pm unless I check with them first.

5. I will ensure that each meeting I attend ends with a discussion around next steps and hold people accountable for delivery.

Being back in the tradition workforce is great. And I love what Amobee is doing and our long term vision. But I also value my productivity, the vakue I create and my sanity. So from today form I wil try to be a Master Professio

nal! Will you join me?