1 00:00:05,440 --> 00:00:09,840 Speaker 1: Good morning. This is Laura. Welcome to the New Corner Office, 2 00:00:10,400 --> 00:00:13,680 Speaker 1: the podcast where we share strategies for succeeding in the 3 00:00:13,760 --> 00:00:17,520 Speaker 1: new world of work, where location and hours are more 4 00:00:17,560 --> 00:00:21,760 Speaker 1: flexible than in the past. Today's tip is to just 5 00:00:22,079 --> 00:00:24,919 Speaker 1: try it out. Lots of us are attempting to do 6 00:00:25,000 --> 00:00:28,400 Speaker 1: life in different ways right now. Not everything will work. 7 00:00:29,160 --> 00:00:34,080 Speaker 1: That's fine. Having an experimental mindset serves us well now 8 00:00:34,479 --> 00:00:38,600 Speaker 1: and when life is more normal too. Like many people 9 00:00:38,600 --> 00:00:41,120 Speaker 1: listening to this podcast, I've spent the past few weeks 10 00:00:41,159 --> 00:00:44,320 Speaker 1: becoming more familiar with Zoom than I ever thought possible. 11 00:00:45,280 --> 00:00:47,760 Speaker 1: Since I run my own business out of a home office, 12 00:00:48,120 --> 00:00:50,960 Speaker 1: I've long had a Zoom Pro account, but I used 13 00:00:50,960 --> 00:00:53,199 Speaker 1: it once or twice a week, and only on my 14 00:00:53,240 --> 00:00:57,040 Speaker 1: main laptop and only for work. But over the past 15 00:00:57,040 --> 00:00:59,160 Speaker 1: few weeks, I've been amazed at how many types of 16 00:00:59,320 --> 00:01:03,480 Speaker 1: virtual inner action people have attempted. The first creative option 17 00:01:03,520 --> 00:01:06,920 Speaker 1: we tried was a virtual music lesson. My kids music 18 00:01:06,959 --> 00:01:09,200 Speaker 1: teacher had me set up the laptop right behind the 19 00:01:09,240 --> 00:01:11,440 Speaker 1: piano so we could watch the keys and the music. 20 00:01:12,200 --> 00:01:15,600 Speaker 1: We tried virtual karate, with the instructors showing moves and 21 00:01:15,600 --> 00:01:18,800 Speaker 1: the kids repeating them. My kids are all doing morning 22 00:01:18,840 --> 00:01:21,479 Speaker 1: meetings with their teachers, and my five year old sits 23 00:01:21,520 --> 00:01:25,120 Speaker 1: on my lap to have preschool virtual circle time. He 24 00:01:25,240 --> 00:01:27,800 Speaker 1: tried movement and music class this way, and my choir 25 00:01:27,880 --> 00:01:32,280 Speaker 1: has even been meeting together virtually. Now. For people familiar 26 00:01:32,280 --> 00:01:34,720 Speaker 1: with zoom, you might recognize a potential problem with the 27 00:01:34,800 --> 00:01:37,080 Speaker 1: last one. It's hard to listen to more than one 28 00:01:37,319 --> 00:01:40,280 Speaker 1: voice at a time. When we try singing songs at 29 00:01:40,319 --> 00:01:43,520 Speaker 1: preschool circle time, we sound disjointed, but no one expects 30 00:01:43,560 --> 00:01:47,520 Speaker 1: anything else from preschool circle time. With a choir, well 31 00:01:47,600 --> 00:01:51,040 Speaker 1: that's a different matter. But our conductor sends us sheet music, 32 00:01:51,440 --> 00:01:54,200 Speaker 1: meets us all and plays the piano while we each 33 00:01:54,240 --> 00:01:57,440 Speaker 1: sang our own parts. We can't hear each other, but 34 00:01:57,520 --> 00:02:02,040 Speaker 1: we're still singing together. I've loved seeing pictures on social 35 00:02:02,080 --> 00:02:05,520 Speaker 1: media of virtual happy hours. Some personal trainers have told 36 00:02:05,560 --> 00:02:09,520 Speaker 1: me they're doing a brisk business virtually. A wardrobe consultant 37 00:02:09,520 --> 00:02:12,919 Speaker 1: I follow on social media has been doing virtual styling sessions, 38 00:02:13,520 --> 00:02:17,520 Speaker 1: and of course, the telemedicine world has exploded. Some things 39 00:02:17,520 --> 00:02:20,240 Speaker 1: are best done in a medical office, but when people 40 00:02:20,280 --> 00:02:24,639 Speaker 1: have to we just try stuff out, and not all 41 00:02:24,639 --> 00:02:27,480 Speaker 1: of it works. My five year old, for instance, can't 42 00:02:27,480 --> 00:02:31,160 Speaker 1: pay attention long enough to do much virtually, so karate 43 00:02:31,280 --> 00:02:34,600 Speaker 1: and music aren't really happening right now. Oh well, we 44 00:02:34,680 --> 00:02:37,280 Speaker 1: focus on doing one thing a day that we can 45 00:02:37,320 --> 00:02:39,880 Speaker 1: try with an adult present, and then we let the 46 00:02:39,919 --> 00:02:42,959 Speaker 1: rest go. There are a few ways of making the 47 00:02:43,120 --> 00:02:47,400 Speaker 1: try it out mindset work. First, approach anything in the 48 00:02:47,440 --> 00:02:51,959 Speaker 1: spirit of assuming that people are doing their best. Whether 49 00:02:52,000 --> 00:02:54,880 Speaker 1: this is true or not, we're better off believing it, 50 00:02:55,360 --> 00:02:59,560 Speaker 1: which goes for life in general. Second, build in a 51 00:02:59,639 --> 00:03:04,040 Speaker 1: value time into all events. At the end, talk about 52 00:03:04,040 --> 00:03:06,520 Speaker 1: what didn't work, but be sure to talk about what 53 00:03:06,600 --> 00:03:10,960 Speaker 1: did work too, Ask for suggestions on how things can improve, 54 00:03:11,960 --> 00:03:15,720 Speaker 1: and if you're managing people, actually try out whatever crazy 55 00:03:15,800 --> 00:03:19,760 Speaker 1: suggestions people have. Don't just say that won't work because 56 00:03:19,760 --> 00:03:22,680 Speaker 1: of X, Y or Z. Yes, in fact, it may 57 00:03:22,680 --> 00:03:25,320 Speaker 1: be true that it won't work because of X, Y 58 00:03:25,400 --> 00:03:29,440 Speaker 1: or Z. Still, you're better off having a less than 59 00:03:29,480 --> 00:03:33,480 Speaker 1: immediately productive thirty minutes. If the upside is making sure 60 00:03:33,560 --> 00:03:36,720 Speaker 1: your people know that you want them to share ideas 61 00:03:37,360 --> 00:03:40,600 Speaker 1: and you never know you may stumble on something brilliant. 62 00:03:41,320 --> 00:03:45,000 Speaker 1: You won't know unless you commit to just trying it out. 63 00:03:46,160 --> 00:03:48,880 Speaker 1: If you've experimented in your new working style and have 64 00:03:48,920 --> 00:03:51,960 Speaker 1: found something intriguing that works. I'd love to hear about it. 65 00:03:52,520 --> 00:03:56,960 Speaker 1: You can reach me at Laura at Laura Vanderkam dot com. 66 00:03:58,000 --> 00:04:01,800 Speaker 1: In the meantime, this is Laura. Thanks for listening, and 67 00:04:01,920 --> 00:04:08,680 Speaker 1: here's the succeeding in the new quarter office. The New 68 00:04:08,720 --> 00:04:12,839 Speaker 1: Corner Office is a production of iHeartRadio. For more podcasts, 69 00:04:13,080 --> 00:04:16,680 Speaker 1: visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get 70 00:04:16,720 --> 00:04:17,520 Speaker 1: your favorite shows.