Applying Agile to... Planning Your Workday When I first started working, one of the trickiest things to pin down was planning my work schedule. Once I felt like I had a good routine going, something else changed in my environment that washed it down the drain, whether it was a new responsibility, different projects, COVID-19, a Wi-Fi outage or incessant construction noise. I thought to myself, “Once I achieve a consistent, noise-free routine, I’ll be able to work seamlessly.” To be honest, that kind of workflow still hasn’t happened. As the weeks went on and the pandemic seemed to extend our remote work stints into eternity, I learned that change was always going to happen despite my schedules and routines. Sure, some days, everything went according to plan. But other days, I knew disruption would be inevitable. Acknowledging this reality drastically changed how I viewed planning my workday – and helped me stay productive and valuable to my team, while being flexible and kind to myself. When we think about agilely planning our workdays, preparing ourselves for disruption will help us stay light on our feet and less stressed when change comes our way.
Tip #1: Set realistic expectations. Are your energy levels low? Do you have a lot of meetings on your calendar? Think about your whole environment – external and internal, mental and physical – and how it could affect your workflow. Knowing how you work will help you set realistic expectations that help you stay productive but don’t burn you out.
Try this: Be kind to yourself. What are some realistic limits to your productivity today? Examples: dependents, poor sleep, last-minute meetings
A GovLoop Guide 12
