1 00:00:05,240 --> 00:00:09,799 Speaker 1: Good morning. This is Laura. Welcome to the New Corner Office, 2 00:00:10,360 --> 00:00:13,480 Speaker 1: the podcast where we share strategies for thriving in the 3 00:00:13,560 --> 00:00:17,360 Speaker 1: new world of work, where location and hours are more 4 00:00:17,360 --> 00:00:21,279 Speaker 1: flexible than in the past. Today's tip is to have 5 00:00:21,480 --> 00:00:26,079 Speaker 1: do it yourself lunch and learns. Lots of workplaces have 6 00:00:26,480 --> 00:00:30,760 Speaker 1: lunch and learned series for employees who want informal development opportunities. 7 00:00:31,480 --> 00:00:33,960 Speaker 1: The usual format is that people grab lunch from the 8 00:00:34,000 --> 00:00:38,400 Speaker 1: cafeteria or gathered for catered sandwiches and here from an expert. 9 00:00:39,240 --> 00:00:41,360 Speaker 1: I imagine in the future a lot more of these 10 00:00:41,520 --> 00:00:45,200 Speaker 1: lunche and learns will be virtual. My husband's employer actually 11 00:00:45,240 --> 00:00:47,360 Speaker 1: sent lunch to our house the other day for one 12 00:00:47,400 --> 00:00:51,520 Speaker 1: such webinar, but not everyone has explored that possibility yet. 13 00:00:52,240 --> 00:00:54,840 Speaker 1: In any case, if you're working from home, you can 14 00:00:54,880 --> 00:00:58,040 Speaker 1: replicate the lunch and learned format and make these learning 15 00:00:58,080 --> 00:01:01,880 Speaker 1: opportunities even more tailored to your taste then your employer would. 16 00:01:02,440 --> 00:01:05,280 Speaker 1: If you're working at home alone, do it yourself Lunch 17 00:01:05,319 --> 00:01:07,040 Speaker 1: and learn can be a great way to switch the 18 00:01:07,120 --> 00:01:10,440 Speaker 1: day up a bit too. In a recent podcast, I 19 00:01:10,520 --> 00:01:13,560 Speaker 1: suggested taking advantage of the many webinars that are being 20 00:01:13,600 --> 00:01:18,680 Speaker 1: offered follow interesting people on Twitter or Instagram, and many 21 00:01:18,680 --> 00:01:22,000 Speaker 1: will mention what they're offering to their followers. You can 22 00:01:22,000 --> 00:01:25,160 Speaker 1: watch webinars as they're happening, and you can often find 23 00:01:25,360 --> 00:01:30,000 Speaker 1: archived recordings of webinars too. TED talks can be another 24 00:01:30,040 --> 00:01:33,520 Speaker 1: great option for lunch and learns. They're fairly short, so 25 00:01:33,560 --> 00:01:35,800 Speaker 1: you can fit one or two into even the shortest 26 00:01:35,880 --> 00:01:39,280 Speaker 1: of lunch breaks. They are driven by ideas, so they 27 00:01:39,280 --> 00:01:41,720 Speaker 1: can be great for broadening your perspective on your work 28 00:01:41,920 --> 00:01:44,679 Speaker 1: and your daily life. Search to see if there's a 29 00:01:44,680 --> 00:01:47,320 Speaker 1: talk by one of your favorite thought leaders, or use 30 00:01:47,400 --> 00:01:50,320 Speaker 1: playlists to direct you to sets of talks on topics 31 00:01:50,360 --> 00:01:54,360 Speaker 1: like finding common ground, working from home, or avoiding burnout. 32 00:01:55,120 --> 00:01:57,320 Speaker 1: You can also sign up for TED recommends to get 33 00:01:57,440 --> 00:02:01,040 Speaker 1: personalized suggestions. See if a colleague wants to join you 34 00:02:01,120 --> 00:02:04,160 Speaker 1: in watching one, and then you can trade thoughts afterwards. 35 00:02:05,320 --> 00:02:07,800 Speaker 1: Lots of people say they'd like to read more and 36 00:02:07,840 --> 00:02:10,320 Speaker 1: do it yourself. Lunch and learns are a great opportunity 37 00:02:10,400 --> 00:02:13,240 Speaker 1: for reading books or articles that relate to your work. 38 00:02:14,040 --> 00:02:16,920 Speaker 1: Audio books can be attractive if you're concerned about getting 39 00:02:17,000 --> 00:02:20,880 Speaker 1: pasta sauce on the pages. Your public library may allow 40 00:02:20,880 --> 00:02:23,000 Speaker 1: you to check out audio books and listen to them 41 00:02:23,000 --> 00:02:26,480 Speaker 1: on your phone or other devices. If you'd like more 42 00:02:26,560 --> 00:02:30,720 Speaker 1: structured to your learning, you might enjoy enrolling in a mook, 43 00:02:30,919 --> 00:02:35,200 Speaker 1: a massive open online course. You can find free courses 44 00:02:35,200 --> 00:02:39,560 Speaker 1: on topics ranging from unconscious bias to public speaking. Carve 45 00:02:39,639 --> 00:02:41,799 Speaker 1: out a break in your schedule, like from noon to 46 00:02:41,880 --> 00:02:45,840 Speaker 1: one pm to watch the instructional videos and do your homework. 47 00:02:46,960 --> 00:02:49,520 Speaker 1: With all the great options available for do it yourself 48 00:02:49,639 --> 00:02:51,760 Speaker 1: lunch and learns, you might find it helpful to keep 49 00:02:51,760 --> 00:02:55,040 Speaker 1: a document on your computer with ideas, links to ted 50 00:02:55,080 --> 00:02:58,360 Speaker 1: talks or webinars to view books and articles, to read 51 00:02:59,000 --> 00:03:02,040 Speaker 1: mookes to take a topics you'd like to explore, even 52 00:03:02,080 --> 00:03:05,560 Speaker 1: if you don't know exactly how yet, then when you 53 00:03:05,600 --> 00:03:08,800 Speaker 1: sit down for lunch, you've got choices ready to go. 54 00:03:10,000 --> 00:03:12,440 Speaker 1: In any case, it's wise to step away from your 55 00:03:12,480 --> 00:03:15,560 Speaker 1: work for a little bit and think about something besides 56 00:03:15,600 --> 00:03:19,480 Speaker 1: what you've been working on since nine am. Creating structure 57 00:03:19,520 --> 00:03:23,520 Speaker 1: for downtime increases the chances that we do something besides 58 00:03:23,560 --> 00:03:28,320 Speaker 1: panic reading headlines or scrolling through social media. People take 59 00:03:28,360 --> 00:03:33,680 Speaker 1: breaks anyway, so it's best to do it consciously in 60 00:03:33,720 --> 00:03:38,240 Speaker 1: the meantime. This is Laura. Thanks for listening and here's 61 00:03:38,280 --> 00:03:45,200 Speaker 1: the succeeding in the New Corner Office. The New Corner 62 00:03:45,280 --> 00:03:49,000 Speaker 1: Office is a production of I Heart Radio. For more podcasts, 63 00:03:49,240 --> 00:03:52,520 Speaker 1: visit the i Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever 64 00:03:52,560 --> 00:03:53,680 Speaker 1: you get your favorite shows.