1 00:00:00,760 --> 00:00:01,760 Speaker 1: Hello there. 2 00:00:02,080 --> 00:00:05,120 Speaker 2: I am taking a little break over Christmas, so I've 3 00:00:05,280 --> 00:00:08,680 Speaker 2: handpicked a bunch of my favorite interviews from twenty twenty 4 00:00:08,720 --> 00:00:11,920 Speaker 2: two to play while I'm away. And if there are 5 00:00:11,960 --> 00:00:15,080 Speaker 2: any people you'd like to hear from in twenty twenty 6 00:00:15,120 --> 00:00:17,639 Speaker 2: three on how I work, drop me a note via 7 00:00:17,680 --> 00:00:21,120 Speaker 2: the socials. You can find me on LinkedIn under Amantha 8 00:00:21,200 --> 00:00:28,640 Speaker 2: Imba and on Instagram at Amantha I. Productivity is important, 9 00:00:29,120 --> 00:00:31,600 Speaker 2: and if you're a fan of this show, that probably 10 00:00:31,680 --> 00:00:36,240 Speaker 2: sounds comically obvious, but usually when we talk about productivity, 11 00:00:36,280 --> 00:00:40,599 Speaker 2: we're talking about personal productivity. Maybe you realize you could 12 00:00:40,640 --> 00:00:43,360 Speaker 2: get more done in less time if you managed your 13 00:00:43,440 --> 00:00:46,639 Speaker 2: calendar with a bit more intention, or if you made 14 00:00:46,640 --> 00:00:50,200 Speaker 2: an effort to remove distractions from your workday. But these 15 00:00:50,240 --> 00:00:55,240 Speaker 2: are personal choices geared towards making you more productive. If 16 00:00:55,240 --> 00:00:58,200 Speaker 2: you're lucky, you might work at an organization where your 17 00:00:58,280 --> 00:01:02,520 Speaker 2: leaders support your quest for great productivity. Maybe you started 18 00:01:02,560 --> 00:01:05,920 Speaker 2: developing a desire to work smarter because of somewhere you 19 00:01:06,000 --> 00:01:10,160 Speaker 2: worked or someone you worked with. But what if you 20 00:01:10,280 --> 00:01:15,080 Speaker 2: were responsible for everyone else's productivity? And what if by 21 00:01:15,240 --> 00:01:20,880 Speaker 2: everyone I met everyone at Google? That is the heavy 22 00:01:20,880 --> 00:01:25,960 Speaker 2: burden shouldered by Laura may Martin, the executive productivity advisor 23 00:01:26,000 --> 00:01:30,560 Speaker 2: at Google. Laura coaches Googler's one on one, helping them 24 00:01:30,640 --> 00:01:34,520 Speaker 2: get a handle on everything from their calendars to their workflows. 25 00:01:35,640 --> 00:01:38,760 Speaker 2: Last time Laura appeared on How I Work, she was 26 00:01:38,880 --> 00:01:42,720 Speaker 2: laser focused on helping Google transition to remote work during 27 00:01:42,760 --> 00:01:46,080 Speaker 2: the pandemic, but now in the middle of twenty twenty two, 28 00:01:46,480 --> 00:01:50,000 Speaker 2: her attention has shifted to the new normal. So, from 29 00:01:50,120 --> 00:01:54,040 Speaker 2: Laura's perspective, what worked about working from home and what 30 00:01:54,120 --> 00:01:58,440 Speaker 2: didn't and how can we make the transition as seamless 31 00:01:58,520 --> 00:02:07,280 Speaker 2: as possible. My name is doctor Amanthema. I'm an organizational 32 00:02:07,320 --> 00:02:11,560 Speaker 2: psychologist and the founder of behavioral science consultancy Inventium. And 33 00:02:11,639 --> 00:02:14,760 Speaker 2: this is How I Work, a show about how to 34 00:02:14,800 --> 00:02:18,600 Speaker 2: help you do your best work. So, given people at 35 00:02:18,600 --> 00:02:21,360 Speaker 2: Google and now making the transition to coming back to 36 00:02:21,400 --> 00:02:23,960 Speaker 2: the office, I wanted to know what the bulk of 37 00:02:24,040 --> 00:02:27,640 Speaker 2: Lawa's training and coaching work is currently focused around. Now. 38 00:02:28,280 --> 00:02:30,320 Speaker 1: I think this is another big transition. 39 00:02:30,520 --> 00:02:33,440 Speaker 3: It's another big point where people you know, are starting 40 00:02:33,480 --> 00:02:36,440 Speaker 3: to figure out what is my new cadence. Look like 41 00:02:36,600 --> 00:02:39,560 Speaker 3: a lot of people are starting to transition back to 42 00:02:39,600 --> 00:02:41,960 Speaker 3: the office for some people that's one day a week, 43 00:02:42,000 --> 00:02:45,359 Speaker 3: for some people that's three, and some people it's all 44 00:02:45,440 --> 00:02:47,520 Speaker 3: days of the week. But even for people who are 45 00:02:47,600 --> 00:02:50,880 Speaker 3: staying remote, it feels like a new season because you know, 46 00:02:50,919 --> 00:02:53,920 Speaker 3: they're starting to be some more commute traffic again, or 47 00:02:53,960 --> 00:02:57,240 Speaker 3: maybe their colleagues are going in or their travels picking up. 48 00:02:57,360 --> 00:03:01,000 Speaker 3: So it's kind of this new season of thinking about, 49 00:03:01,040 --> 00:03:03,639 Speaker 3: what does my work schedule look like? How do I, 50 00:03:03,680 --> 00:03:06,639 Speaker 3: you know, adapt what I learned working from home and 51 00:03:07,200 --> 00:03:09,040 Speaker 3: apply it to this new. 52 00:03:08,919 --> 00:03:11,480 Speaker 1: Way of working whatever that looks like for you. 53 00:03:12,680 --> 00:03:15,160 Speaker 2: So you kind of like encouraging people to do a 54 00:03:15,160 --> 00:03:18,960 Speaker 2: bit of a race it, even if they continuing on 55 00:03:19,040 --> 00:03:21,119 Speaker 2: working from harm and doing exactly the same thing. 56 00:03:21,880 --> 00:03:22,720 Speaker 1: Yes, exactly. 57 00:03:22,760 --> 00:03:25,520 Speaker 3: I call it spring cleaning because that's the season that 58 00:03:25,600 --> 00:03:28,800 Speaker 3: it is here, you know. But it's kind of that 59 00:03:29,080 --> 00:03:32,560 Speaker 3: idea of, Okay, this is one of those chances to 60 00:03:32,680 --> 00:03:35,040 Speaker 3: really take a look at some of those things that 61 00:03:35,120 --> 00:03:38,880 Speaker 3: you've been doing. So, whether it's that recurring meeting that 62 00:03:38,960 --> 00:03:42,640 Speaker 3: you have every two weeks, do you really need that now? 63 00:03:43,200 --> 00:03:45,360 Speaker 3: Do you need to make more room in your schedule 64 00:03:45,480 --> 00:03:48,440 Speaker 3: for something like a thirty minute drive now into the office. 65 00:03:48,520 --> 00:03:51,480 Speaker 3: Could some of your meetings become phone calls. You know, 66 00:03:51,840 --> 00:03:54,600 Speaker 3: now that your team's together once a week in the office, 67 00:03:54,640 --> 00:03:56,720 Speaker 3: do you still need that catch up meeting that you 68 00:03:56,800 --> 00:03:59,400 Speaker 3: set two years ago to keep in touch when everybody 69 00:03:59,480 --> 00:04:02,400 Speaker 3: was remote. So, you know, it's kind of that idea 70 00:04:02,400 --> 00:04:05,360 Speaker 3: of what what's the new phase look like? And then 71 00:04:05,840 --> 00:04:08,480 Speaker 3: how can you make sure that your current state is 72 00:04:08,560 --> 00:04:10,880 Speaker 3: set up for success there? So anything you can let 73 00:04:10,960 --> 00:04:13,440 Speaker 3: go of any low hanging fruit that you've been meaning 74 00:04:13,480 --> 00:04:16,800 Speaker 3: to redo, clean out your inbox, you know, start over. 75 00:04:17,080 --> 00:04:20,320 Speaker 3: That's that's kind of the method I've been you know, 76 00:04:20,400 --> 00:04:24,279 Speaker 3: coaching people on is that spring cleaning mentality and what if. 77 00:04:24,120 --> 00:04:26,159 Speaker 2: You decided to cape, like, what was some of the 78 00:04:26,200 --> 00:04:28,479 Speaker 2: good habits that did work for you that you get 79 00:04:28,480 --> 00:04:29,200 Speaker 2: to continue with. 80 00:04:29,600 --> 00:04:30,760 Speaker 1: Yeah, that's a great question. 81 00:04:30,839 --> 00:04:33,719 Speaker 3: I always tell people, like, don't let this whole period 82 00:04:33,760 --> 00:04:34,400 Speaker 3: go to waste. 83 00:04:34,480 --> 00:04:35,840 Speaker 1: You know, like we all we. 84 00:04:35,800 --> 00:04:40,360 Speaker 3: All learned something about ourselves and whether that was oh wow, 85 00:04:40,400 --> 00:04:44,520 Speaker 3: I really do well. You know when I take a 86 00:04:44,560 --> 00:04:46,919 Speaker 3: mid morning walk because you were able to do that 87 00:04:47,000 --> 00:04:49,800 Speaker 3: from home, you know, don't don't lose that because that's 88 00:04:49,839 --> 00:04:50,520 Speaker 3: something that you've. 89 00:04:50,440 --> 00:04:51,960 Speaker 1: Learned about your own patterns. 90 00:04:52,000 --> 00:04:55,279 Speaker 3: So for me, I think one thing my team really 91 00:04:55,400 --> 00:04:58,359 Speaker 3: enjoyed was having like a weekly catch up that wasn't 92 00:04:58,360 --> 00:05:01,520 Speaker 3: anything to do with work. So we you know, called 93 00:05:01,520 --> 00:05:04,560 Speaker 3: it like the tea or spilling the tea, or is 94 00:05:04,640 --> 00:05:07,160 Speaker 3: just kind of like a fun tea meeting where we 95 00:05:07,200 --> 00:05:10,040 Speaker 3: picked a topic that wasn't related to work and whether 96 00:05:10,120 --> 00:05:12,560 Speaker 3: it was like a good show you've been watching recently, 97 00:05:12,680 --> 00:05:14,960 Speaker 3: or bring your favorite recipe or something like that. And 98 00:05:15,240 --> 00:05:17,760 Speaker 3: we did it originally just because we knew everyone was 99 00:05:18,400 --> 00:05:20,520 Speaker 3: working from home and you know, wasn't talking to a 100 00:05:20,560 --> 00:05:21,960 Speaker 3: lot of people, and it was like a fun way 101 00:05:21,960 --> 00:05:24,320 Speaker 3: to keep in touch. But we loved it, and now 102 00:05:24,360 --> 00:05:27,760 Speaker 3: we've kept that, so sometimes it'll be in person, sometimes. 103 00:05:27,360 --> 00:05:28,159 Speaker 1: It'll be virtual. 104 00:05:28,200 --> 00:05:30,600 Speaker 3: But it was just a fun way of saying, hey, like, 105 00:05:30,640 --> 00:05:33,000 Speaker 3: instead of having all this small talk in other meetings, 106 00:05:33,440 --> 00:05:34,560 Speaker 3: let's keep this. 107 00:05:35,600 --> 00:05:36,800 Speaker 1: And so we're keeping that. 108 00:05:37,040 --> 00:05:39,720 Speaker 3: And another thing that I started doing when I wasn't 109 00:05:39,760 --> 00:05:43,200 Speaker 3: commuting at all is waking up in the morning and reading, 110 00:05:43,279 --> 00:05:45,840 Speaker 3: because I used to read on my commute or listen 111 00:05:45,880 --> 00:05:48,400 Speaker 3: to audiobooks or things like that, and I really missed that. 112 00:05:48,880 --> 00:05:52,560 Speaker 3: So I started waking up before my kids and trying 113 00:05:52,600 --> 00:05:54,679 Speaker 3: to get in some reading and a cup of coffee 114 00:05:54,720 --> 00:05:57,600 Speaker 3: before anyone else woke up, and that was easier when 115 00:05:57,600 --> 00:05:59,440 Speaker 3: I didn't have as busy of a schedule, and I've 116 00:05:59,680 --> 00:06:02,159 Speaker 3: I've stayed with that because it was a really good 117 00:06:02,160 --> 00:06:03,680 Speaker 3: way to start my day. 118 00:06:03,760 --> 00:06:06,440 Speaker 1: So that's that's definitely one thing that I'm keeping. 119 00:06:07,320 --> 00:06:09,760 Speaker 3: And then I would say probably the last part is 120 00:06:10,080 --> 00:06:13,160 Speaker 3: just having that mentality of like planning more so. I 121 00:06:13,200 --> 00:06:15,520 Speaker 3: think the last time we talked, I was mentioning how, 122 00:06:15,920 --> 00:06:17,440 Speaker 3: you know, without childcare, I. 123 00:06:17,400 --> 00:06:19,640 Speaker 1: Was just kind of working in these sprints during my 124 00:06:19,760 --> 00:06:20,880 Speaker 1: daughter's nap time. 125 00:06:21,000 --> 00:06:24,719 Speaker 3: And I'm lucky enough to have childcare now for the day, 126 00:06:24,760 --> 00:06:28,320 Speaker 3: but I still have that mentality of Okay, tomorrow's morning sprint, 127 00:06:28,440 --> 00:06:29,240 Speaker 3: you know what am I. 128 00:06:29,240 --> 00:06:31,400 Speaker 1: Going to get done? And then what about in the afternoon. 129 00:06:31,440 --> 00:06:35,080 Speaker 3: And I've kept that same idea of breaking up my 130 00:06:35,200 --> 00:06:38,320 Speaker 3: day into these work chunks, whether those are full of 131 00:06:38,360 --> 00:06:41,120 Speaker 3: meetings one time and then heads down work another time. 132 00:06:41,160 --> 00:06:43,040 Speaker 3: But I still kind of think in my head, like, 133 00:06:43,080 --> 00:06:44,040 Speaker 3: oh I need to get this done. 134 00:06:44,080 --> 00:06:47,000 Speaker 1: I'll do it in Thursday's afternoon sprint. 135 00:06:47,120 --> 00:06:49,400 Speaker 3: So I never really let that go because you know, 136 00:06:49,560 --> 00:06:51,479 Speaker 3: it's how I was working and it worked well for me. 137 00:06:52,080 --> 00:06:54,120 Speaker 1: And how long does a sprint last full. 138 00:06:55,120 --> 00:06:59,040 Speaker 3: Usually like two and a half hours or so, you know, 139 00:06:59,080 --> 00:07:01,520 Speaker 3: so like the morning will be like check the email, 140 00:07:01,600 --> 00:07:04,320 Speaker 3: and then there's a sprint, and then I have a 141 00:07:04,320 --> 00:07:06,679 Speaker 3: break for lunch, same thing, kind of do some lower 142 00:07:06,800 --> 00:07:09,800 Speaker 3: energy things, whether it's like expenses or scheduling or email. 143 00:07:09,840 --> 00:07:12,920 Speaker 3: Then I have like another two hour sprint and then 144 00:07:13,000 --> 00:07:14,160 Speaker 3: kind of like a wrap up. 145 00:07:14,040 --> 00:07:14,520 Speaker 1: For the day. 146 00:07:14,600 --> 00:07:17,720 Speaker 3: So I think in my head, you know, like Wednesday afternoons, 147 00:07:17,720 --> 00:07:19,680 Speaker 3: I have like a standing meeting, and I just know 148 00:07:19,800 --> 00:07:21,880 Speaker 3: that's never going to be one of those sprints where 149 00:07:22,160 --> 00:07:24,080 Speaker 3: I get a ton of work done, you know, like 150 00:07:24,120 --> 00:07:26,400 Speaker 3: building a new presentation or anything like. 151 00:07:26,360 --> 00:07:28,200 Speaker 1: That, because it's kind of broken up. 152 00:07:28,280 --> 00:07:30,600 Speaker 3: So I just keep that in mind and say, okay, 153 00:07:30,640 --> 00:07:33,320 Speaker 3: Wednesday afternoon sprint, that's a good time to do something 154 00:07:33,320 --> 00:07:36,320 Speaker 3: that takes maybe thirty minutes in between those two meetings, 155 00:07:36,360 --> 00:07:39,760 Speaker 3: and I just have that kind of cadence and flow 156 00:07:39,880 --> 00:07:41,440 Speaker 3: to my week in my days. 157 00:07:42,160 --> 00:07:44,600 Speaker 2: And so with the sprint. So it sounds like they're 158 00:07:44,640 --> 00:07:48,720 Speaker 2: primarily for deep work. What are the conditions that you 159 00:07:48,760 --> 00:07:51,480 Speaker 2: try to create to have a successful sprint? 160 00:07:51,840 --> 00:07:54,320 Speaker 3: Yeah, so, and I would say the sprints are for 161 00:07:54,400 --> 00:07:56,000 Speaker 3: deep work, but I guess I would think the more 162 00:07:56,040 --> 00:07:58,200 Speaker 3: as like groups of time. 163 00:07:58,440 --> 00:08:00,280 Speaker 1: I guess, so sometimes they're for deep work. 164 00:08:00,320 --> 00:08:02,880 Speaker 3: But like I said that Wednesday afternoon, you know, quote 165 00:08:02,920 --> 00:08:06,080 Speaker 3: sprint would be more for back to back meetings because 166 00:08:06,080 --> 00:08:07,800 Speaker 3: that's just what I happen to have that day. But 167 00:08:08,560 --> 00:08:12,120 Speaker 3: for the head down sprints, I would think of, you know, 168 00:08:12,200 --> 00:08:15,280 Speaker 3: I try to tell myself and others when I'm doing 169 00:08:15,320 --> 00:08:18,800 Speaker 3: my coaching is to act like your own assistant before 170 00:08:18,840 --> 00:08:21,480 Speaker 3: those things begin. So if I'm in charge, if I'm 171 00:08:21,480 --> 00:08:24,480 Speaker 3: my own assistant. And I went into my boss's office, 172 00:08:24,520 --> 00:08:26,680 Speaker 3: who was me, and I was saying, Okay, what can 173 00:08:26,720 --> 00:08:29,240 Speaker 3: I do to make sure that she is fully set 174 00:08:29,320 --> 00:08:32,720 Speaker 3: up to be ready to focus in thirty minutes? You know, 175 00:08:32,880 --> 00:08:35,360 Speaker 3: I would set out maybe a snack. I would put 176 00:08:35,400 --> 00:08:37,720 Speaker 3: on headphones, I would clear the desk off, I would 177 00:08:37,760 --> 00:08:41,000 Speaker 3: close the email. I would pull up the article that 178 00:08:41,040 --> 00:08:43,360 Speaker 3: I should be reading or editing or whatever that is, 179 00:08:43,800 --> 00:08:46,920 Speaker 3: you know, water, whatever that is, and then you know, 180 00:08:47,000 --> 00:08:49,920 Speaker 3: kind of take a step away and come back to it. 181 00:08:50,120 --> 00:08:53,480 Speaker 3: And I've fully you know, almost like child proofing. I've 182 00:08:53,480 --> 00:08:56,400 Speaker 3: basically made it so that I cannot be distracted. I've 183 00:08:56,400 --> 00:08:59,360 Speaker 3: already closed out my chat. I've already you know, checked 184 00:08:59,400 --> 00:08:59,679 Speaker 3: all the. 185 00:08:59,600 --> 00:09:00,680 Speaker 1: Email I need to check. 186 00:09:00,679 --> 00:09:02,680 Speaker 3: And it's almost even like when you start doing this 187 00:09:03,160 --> 00:09:06,240 Speaker 3: like panicky because you think, like, oh my gosh, like 188 00:09:06,520 --> 00:09:08,920 Speaker 3: I have nothing to do except focus, But you know, 189 00:09:09,000 --> 00:09:12,000 Speaker 3: once you move past that, you really have no choice 190 00:09:12,040 --> 00:09:15,840 Speaker 3: other than to drop into that focus deep work because 191 00:09:15,880 --> 00:09:18,200 Speaker 3: there's literally nothing else for you to do. 192 00:09:19,200 --> 00:09:23,760 Speaker 2: It's interesting that you say that you'll check email first 193 00:09:24,000 --> 00:09:27,800 Speaker 2: before getting into a sprint, which is almost contrary to 194 00:09:27,840 --> 00:09:29,800 Speaker 2: a lot of what a lot of people will say, 195 00:09:29,920 --> 00:09:31,960 Speaker 2: because then you know you've got the sort of the 196 00:09:31,960 --> 00:09:34,280 Speaker 2: emails in your head and you you know, maybe just 197 00:09:34,400 --> 00:09:37,040 Speaker 2: in a reactive mode. So tell me about why you 198 00:09:37,160 --> 00:09:39,719 Speaker 2: choose to do that before your sprint rather than just 199 00:09:39,800 --> 00:09:41,440 Speaker 2: kind of starting it fresh if you like. 200 00:09:41,840 --> 00:09:44,440 Speaker 3: Yeah, And that's a good point because on Fridays, I 201 00:09:44,559 --> 00:09:47,760 Speaker 3: actually I send out a big newsletter at Google on Friday, 202 00:09:47,800 --> 00:09:50,720 Speaker 3: and I actually don't check my email on Friday morning 203 00:09:50,800 --> 00:09:53,520 Speaker 3: before I write that newsletter and finalize it for that 204 00:09:53,640 --> 00:09:56,400 Speaker 3: exact reason, because I know that, you know, I may 205 00:09:56,480 --> 00:09:59,720 Speaker 3: get sucked into something. But in general, the rest of 206 00:09:59,720 --> 00:10:02,920 Speaker 3: the time time I want to make sure because I 207 00:10:02,960 --> 00:10:05,520 Speaker 3: don't really check my email at night after work, so 208 00:10:05,640 --> 00:10:08,240 Speaker 3: I usually want to make sure that anything that's come 209 00:10:08,320 --> 00:10:12,320 Speaker 3: in that is maybe global from you know, overnight, or 210 00:10:12,480 --> 00:10:16,240 Speaker 3: needs a response by that day, I've at least addressed it. 211 00:10:16,320 --> 00:10:19,000 Speaker 1: So I do have good email habits where I actually, like. 212 00:10:18,960 --> 00:10:21,080 Speaker 3: Have an egg timer at my desk and I can 213 00:10:21,120 --> 00:10:23,480 Speaker 3: turn it to thirty minutes and say, like when that 214 00:10:23,559 --> 00:10:26,240 Speaker 3: goes off, I'm done. So I don't get like so 215 00:10:26,640 --> 00:10:29,080 Speaker 3: involved in email to the point where my you know, 216 00:10:29,160 --> 00:10:32,520 Speaker 3: my sprint is lost, but I just kind of see 217 00:10:32,520 --> 00:10:36,080 Speaker 3: what's there so that I can quick response anything. I 218 00:10:36,120 --> 00:10:38,120 Speaker 3: can see if there's anything I need to make time 219 00:10:38,160 --> 00:10:39,960 Speaker 3: for in the the rest of the day, you know, 220 00:10:40,040 --> 00:10:43,600 Speaker 3: respond to anything urgent, and then close the email, knowing 221 00:10:43,640 --> 00:10:45,920 Speaker 3: that I have time maybe later in the day during 222 00:10:45,960 --> 00:10:48,640 Speaker 3: that lunch block where it's lower energy and I just 223 00:10:48,679 --> 00:10:51,920 Speaker 3: have a little bit of time to you know, look 224 00:10:51,960 --> 00:10:54,400 Speaker 3: at my email and answer it. I know that that 225 00:10:54,640 --> 00:10:57,520 Speaker 3: is going to be addressed then, So it's usually just 226 00:10:57,559 --> 00:10:59,280 Speaker 3: a quick look to see what's. 227 00:10:59,120 --> 00:11:03,040 Speaker 2: There that You've also adopted what you call the no 228 00:11:03,520 --> 00:11:07,880 Speaker 2: childcare gut chick. Can you tell me about that, because 229 00:11:08,480 --> 00:11:10,440 Speaker 2: as far as I know, your kids are now back 230 00:11:10,480 --> 00:11:11,120 Speaker 2: in childcare. 231 00:11:12,080 --> 00:11:16,160 Speaker 1: Yes, exactly. I think it's just like I. 232 00:11:15,440 --> 00:11:19,119 Speaker 3: Had to make cuts when I had no childcare. 233 00:11:19,160 --> 00:11:22,120 Speaker 1: I just started to ask myself, Okay, you know. 234 00:11:22,520 --> 00:11:26,120 Speaker 3: Is this worth me asking my husband to take this 235 00:11:26,360 --> 00:11:29,440 Speaker 3: slot and watch them, or is it worth you know, 236 00:11:29,600 --> 00:11:34,160 Speaker 3: me finding having my parents come in to watch my 237 00:11:34,280 --> 00:11:36,880 Speaker 3: kids during this time or for me to work on 238 00:11:36,960 --> 00:11:39,959 Speaker 3: this or is it worth me working at night all night. 239 00:11:39,800 --> 00:11:41,800 Speaker 1: Because I didn't have someone to watch them during the day. 240 00:11:41,800 --> 00:11:43,240 Speaker 1: And so I just started. 241 00:11:42,840 --> 00:11:47,720 Speaker 3: To slowly shave off the things that I probably shouldn't 242 00:11:47,720 --> 00:11:49,840 Speaker 3: have been doing anyway, they were kind of not my 243 00:11:50,000 --> 00:11:53,080 Speaker 3: high priority things, but the things I felt like, oh, 244 00:11:53,120 --> 00:11:55,440 Speaker 3: maybe I will do that because someone asked me to, 245 00:11:55,600 --> 00:11:57,840 Speaker 3: even though it's not part of my goals. You know, 246 00:11:58,200 --> 00:12:01,520 Speaker 3: I started being like, well, no, that's not worth having 247 00:12:01,559 --> 00:12:03,280 Speaker 3: grandparents come into town. 248 00:12:03,080 --> 00:12:03,880 Speaker 1: To watch them for. 249 00:12:04,120 --> 00:12:07,719 Speaker 3: So it was just like a good way of asking myself, 250 00:12:07,840 --> 00:12:09,959 Speaker 3: you know, is this my priority? Which a lot of 251 00:12:10,040 --> 00:12:12,679 Speaker 3: us have have a hard time kind of like keeping 252 00:12:12,760 --> 00:12:15,880 Speaker 3: those consistent priorities and spending most of our time on that. 253 00:12:16,480 --> 00:12:20,440 Speaker 3: And so I've still find myself asking myself, you know, 254 00:12:20,880 --> 00:12:23,319 Speaker 3: is this worth having my husband switch schedules with me? 255 00:12:23,440 --> 00:12:25,160 Speaker 3: And then I'm like, oh, wait, you know, we we 256 00:12:25,280 --> 00:12:28,880 Speaker 3: have a lovely nanny who's at our house all day. 257 00:12:28,880 --> 00:12:32,000 Speaker 3: So I don't need to ask myself that, but it's 258 00:12:32,040 --> 00:12:34,600 Speaker 3: a good way of just me asking myself. You know, 259 00:12:34,800 --> 00:12:40,080 Speaker 3: is this that that high, super focused, high priority percentage 260 00:12:40,080 --> 00:12:42,040 Speaker 3: of work that I should be doing or is this 261 00:12:42,080 --> 00:12:45,040 Speaker 3: something that you know I probably could say no to 262 00:12:45,480 --> 00:12:48,400 Speaker 3: and it would be okay with what I really want 263 00:12:48,440 --> 00:12:49,760 Speaker 3: to accomplish in my goals. 264 00:12:50,240 --> 00:12:51,640 Speaker 1: I could totally relate to that. 265 00:12:51,800 --> 00:12:55,160 Speaker 2: I'm now because you know, everything has opened up and 266 00:12:55,360 --> 00:13:00,880 Speaker 2: I'm now sort of back on playing, although not that much, 267 00:13:00,880 --> 00:13:02,880 Speaker 2: to be honest, When I'm asked to do something that 268 00:13:03,400 --> 00:13:07,000 Speaker 2: involves an early morning start and might mean I don't 269 00:13:07,000 --> 00:13:09,240 Speaker 2: get to spend the morning with my daughter before school, 270 00:13:09,280 --> 00:13:11,080 Speaker 2: it's the same kind of thing. It's like, is this 271 00:13:11,200 --> 00:13:14,160 Speaker 2: important enough to miss a morning with my daughter? 272 00:13:14,559 --> 00:13:18,280 Speaker 1: So I could absolutely relate exactly. See, you have the 273 00:13:18,400 --> 00:13:21,800 Speaker 1: childcare gut check out. I totally do. 274 00:13:21,840 --> 00:13:25,760 Speaker 2: You recently published a sort of update or companion piece 275 00:13:25,840 --> 00:13:29,440 Speaker 2: to your tips for Working from Home article, and this 276 00:13:29,520 --> 00:13:32,719 Speaker 2: one's about how people should approach their return to in 277 00:13:32,800 --> 00:13:35,120 Speaker 2: person work. So I'd love to know what are the 278 00:13:35,160 --> 00:13:37,640 Speaker 2: most important tips in that article. 279 00:13:38,400 --> 00:13:40,720 Speaker 3: Yeah, So the first one I would say is just 280 00:13:41,160 --> 00:13:44,880 Speaker 3: being really buttoned up about your calendar, your schedule. 281 00:13:45,080 --> 00:13:45,280 Speaker 2: You know. 282 00:13:45,559 --> 00:13:49,120 Speaker 3: I joke that nothing more is more inefficient than every 283 00:13:49,200 --> 00:13:52,080 Speaker 3: person wondering where everybody is at different times on what 284 00:13:52,240 --> 00:13:55,040 Speaker 3: day and what office, you know, and it's just kind 285 00:13:55,080 --> 00:13:58,040 Speaker 3: of messy because there's so many different schedules. So you 286 00:13:58,040 --> 00:14:01,000 Speaker 3: want to be really buttoned up about having your calendar 287 00:14:01,080 --> 00:14:04,440 Speaker 3: up to date, accepting meetings, marking your location. You know, 288 00:14:04,559 --> 00:14:08,120 Speaker 3: within Google Calendar, you can say I'm rsvping, I'm attending 289 00:14:08,120 --> 00:14:10,920 Speaker 3: from a room or I'm rsvping I'm attending remotely, and 290 00:14:10,960 --> 00:14:13,240 Speaker 3: then people can see how big does the room need 291 00:14:13,280 --> 00:14:16,480 Speaker 3: to be? You know, adding in events. If you're going 292 00:14:16,520 --> 00:14:18,480 Speaker 3: to drive your daughter to school every morning, you know, 293 00:14:18,520 --> 00:14:20,400 Speaker 3: make sure that's on your calendar and now so that 294 00:14:20,440 --> 00:14:21,680 Speaker 3: people aren't booking. 295 00:14:21,400 --> 00:14:22,160 Speaker 1: During that time. 296 00:14:22,320 --> 00:14:25,000 Speaker 3: So just being really I would guess you could call 297 00:14:25,040 --> 00:14:28,040 Speaker 3: it calendar hygiene. But I think when everyone was just 298 00:14:28,080 --> 00:14:30,280 Speaker 3: sitting at home all the time, it was easy to 299 00:14:30,400 --> 00:14:32,880 Speaker 3: just you know, leave your schedule open and be a 300 00:14:32,920 --> 00:14:35,880 Speaker 3: little more laxadaisical about that. So now I think it's 301 00:14:36,120 --> 00:14:38,520 Speaker 3: you know, part of that spring cleaning is just making 302 00:14:38,560 --> 00:14:41,560 Speaker 3: sure that everything is exactly where you're going to be 303 00:14:41,680 --> 00:14:44,520 Speaker 3: updated to make you know, scheduling easier. 304 00:14:44,880 --> 00:14:48,080 Speaker 2: So I didn't know about this function in Google Calendar 305 00:14:48,120 --> 00:14:50,640 Speaker 2: that I can say where I'm going to be attending from. 306 00:14:50,920 --> 00:14:52,360 Speaker 1: How do I do this? Laura? 307 00:14:52,800 --> 00:14:55,400 Speaker 3: Yeah, So there's a couple things in calendar. You can 308 00:14:55,440 --> 00:15:00,520 Speaker 3: actually mark your working location. So within your calendar you 309 00:15:00,520 --> 00:15:02,720 Speaker 3: can say set location, and you can even set a 310 00:15:02,760 --> 00:15:04,960 Speaker 3: schedule saying, you know, I'm going to be in this 311 00:15:05,160 --> 00:15:08,200 Speaker 3: office or this location or this you know city on 312 00:15:08,280 --> 00:15:10,600 Speaker 3: these days, and then every Friday, I'm going to be 313 00:15:10,640 --> 00:15:13,120 Speaker 3: at home. And that can be a standing schedule that's 314 00:15:13,200 --> 00:15:15,520 Speaker 3: public if your calendar is public when people. 315 00:15:15,240 --> 00:15:15,920 Speaker 1: Schedule with you. 316 00:15:16,360 --> 00:15:20,120 Speaker 3: But then within a meeting, you can RSVP by dropping 317 00:15:20,160 --> 00:15:24,760 Speaker 3: down and saying I'm rsvping Yes. There's a little downward 318 00:15:24,800 --> 00:15:28,480 Speaker 3: erarow you can say yes remotely or yes from a room, 319 00:15:28,840 --> 00:15:31,560 Speaker 3: and that way it will show up to attendees so 320 00:15:31,600 --> 00:15:32,840 Speaker 3: they can see where you are. 321 00:15:33,680 --> 00:15:36,440 Speaker 2: Ah, and I've just got into Google Calendar now and 322 00:15:36,520 --> 00:15:39,640 Speaker 2: I can say that option, which is totally there staring 323 00:15:39,640 --> 00:15:41,520 Speaker 2: me in the face, which I had not noticed before. 324 00:15:41,600 --> 00:15:43,440 Speaker 1: That is very very helpful. 325 00:15:43,680 --> 00:15:45,480 Speaker 2: I'm going to get out of my calendar now I 326 00:15:45,520 --> 00:15:47,240 Speaker 2: can tell me some other teams. 327 00:15:47,800 --> 00:15:51,320 Speaker 3: Yeah, so also a little bit related to your calendar. 328 00:15:51,400 --> 00:15:53,680 Speaker 3: You know, I think when we talked before, we talked 329 00:15:53,680 --> 00:15:56,000 Speaker 3: about how there was two different types of people with 330 00:15:56,240 --> 00:15:58,640 Speaker 3: the work from home schedule. There were the people who 331 00:15:58,680 --> 00:16:01,880 Speaker 3: were sprinting like us with you know, with kids at home, 332 00:16:01,960 --> 00:16:04,400 Speaker 3: and then we had the marathoners who had more time 333 00:16:04,440 --> 00:16:07,760 Speaker 3: than ever. So similarly, now we have people who are 334 00:16:08,440 --> 00:16:09,200 Speaker 3: really good. 335 00:16:09,000 --> 00:16:10,520 Speaker 1: At focusing in the office. 336 00:16:10,640 --> 00:16:12,640 Speaker 3: You know, maybe they're excited to go back that's where 337 00:16:12,640 --> 00:16:15,000 Speaker 3: they do their heads down work. Or we have people 338 00:16:15,000 --> 00:16:17,320 Speaker 3: who say, oh wow, I really get so much done 339 00:16:17,480 --> 00:16:20,560 Speaker 3: when I'm focused at home. So asking yourself, am I 340 00:16:20,840 --> 00:16:24,160 Speaker 3: primarily focused at home? Or for my primarily focus in 341 00:16:24,200 --> 00:16:26,720 Speaker 3: the office person? And then how do I optimize my 342 00:16:27,840 --> 00:16:29,880 Speaker 3: schedule and my week and my work to do that. 343 00:16:30,080 --> 00:16:34,200 Speaker 3: So let's say that you're a primarily you know, focus 344 00:16:34,360 --> 00:16:36,720 Speaker 3: at home person, You're going to want to make sure 345 00:16:36,760 --> 00:16:39,560 Speaker 3: that in the office you're taking advantage of seeing people 346 00:16:40,040 --> 00:16:42,760 Speaker 3: of meetings. You know, be okay with the fact that 347 00:16:42,800 --> 00:16:45,040 Speaker 3: you might not get some email done while you're there 348 00:16:45,040 --> 00:16:48,080 Speaker 3: because you're moving around. Even if you're taking a virtual meeting, 349 00:16:48,120 --> 00:16:50,680 Speaker 3: you want to do it on those days from the office, 350 00:16:51,000 --> 00:16:53,280 Speaker 3: because you know that your days there are going to 351 00:16:53,280 --> 00:16:54,360 Speaker 3: be kind of broken up and. 352 00:16:54,320 --> 00:16:55,560 Speaker 1: You wouldn't get much done. 353 00:16:55,920 --> 00:16:58,480 Speaker 3: Then at home you want to be really really intentional 354 00:16:58,520 --> 00:17:01,200 Speaker 3: about having big blocks of time can do heads down work. 355 00:17:01,480 --> 00:17:03,720 Speaker 3: On the opposite side, let's say you're coding and you 356 00:17:03,880 --> 00:17:06,639 Speaker 3: love doing it at the office because you really have 357 00:17:06,720 --> 00:17:09,480 Speaker 3: a big desk and your setup, et cetera. You'll want 358 00:17:09,520 --> 00:17:12,280 Speaker 3: to have headphones on and maybe have a little touch 359 00:17:12,359 --> 00:17:14,320 Speaker 3: lamp at your desk that you turn on and tell 360 00:17:14,359 --> 00:17:17,000 Speaker 3: people when this is on, please leave me alone. I'm focusing. 361 00:17:17,040 --> 00:17:19,880 Speaker 3: And then at home, you know, save that for more 362 00:17:19,960 --> 00:17:22,919 Speaker 3: chopped up work or virtual meetings or things like that. 363 00:17:23,040 --> 00:17:25,880 Speaker 3: So just knowing that about yourself can kind of help 364 00:17:25,960 --> 00:17:28,240 Speaker 3: you go into the next sphase, saying how do I 365 00:17:28,359 --> 00:17:30,959 Speaker 3: make sure I have that focus time instead of just 366 00:17:31,359 --> 00:17:34,679 Speaker 3: you know, splitting your time between both home and office 367 00:17:34,680 --> 00:17:37,280 Speaker 3: and not necessarily having any deep work. 368 00:17:38,040 --> 00:17:40,159 Speaker 2: I love the idea of having a lot on in 369 00:17:40,200 --> 00:17:42,359 Speaker 2: the office. Is that something that a lot of people 370 00:17:42,359 --> 00:17:43,040 Speaker 2: at Google do. 371 00:17:44,480 --> 00:17:48,159 Speaker 3: No, I haven't seen anyone do that yet, not yet, 372 00:17:48,200 --> 00:17:50,320 Speaker 3: but I've been talking to people about it. I think 373 00:17:50,400 --> 00:17:52,760 Speaker 3: you know, a lot of offices have this open work 374 00:17:53,240 --> 00:17:56,760 Speaker 3: environment and there's been mixed reviews because you know, some 375 00:17:56,800 --> 00:17:59,320 Speaker 3: people like to sit at their desk and really focus, 376 00:17:59,359 --> 00:18:02,440 Speaker 3: and other people like to go to the you know. 377 00:18:02,520 --> 00:18:05,119 Speaker 1: Cafe and get a snack and chat and things like that. 378 00:18:05,280 --> 00:18:08,840 Speaker 3: But I haven't seen the light implemented, but I have 379 00:18:08,960 --> 00:18:11,280 Speaker 3: seen people use like big headphones. But I feel like 380 00:18:11,320 --> 00:18:13,640 Speaker 3: the light is kind of a way of closing your 381 00:18:13,680 --> 00:18:17,560 Speaker 3: office door in an open work environment. So I've actually 382 00:18:17,600 --> 00:18:19,960 Speaker 3: been giving away as like a prize for some of 383 00:18:20,000 --> 00:18:21,720 Speaker 3: my challenges recently and stuff. 384 00:18:21,760 --> 00:18:24,960 Speaker 1: So maybe we'll start seeing them more in Google offices. 385 00:18:25,680 --> 00:18:26,680 Speaker 1: I'd like this say out of that. 386 00:18:26,960 --> 00:18:30,320 Speaker 2: Now you've spoken about I guess optimizing your calendar for focus, 387 00:18:30,400 --> 00:18:34,960 Speaker 2: you also talk about optimizing calendars for connection, and I 388 00:18:34,960 --> 00:18:37,160 Speaker 2: was wondering if you could talk a bit more about 389 00:18:37,200 --> 00:18:38,960 Speaker 2: that and how someone can do that. 390 00:18:39,920 --> 00:18:42,399 Speaker 3: Yeah, so I think it's just thinking about, you know, 391 00:18:42,440 --> 00:18:45,280 Speaker 3: what are the biggest connection points that matter to me. 392 00:18:45,480 --> 00:18:50,280 Speaker 3: So if you have a team that is primarily in 393 00:18:50,359 --> 00:18:52,800 Speaker 3: the office, the one thing that you would want to do, 394 00:18:52,960 --> 00:18:55,080 Speaker 3: or in the office that you are in, the one 395 00:18:55,080 --> 00:18:56,960 Speaker 3: thing you would want to do is make sure that 396 00:18:57,040 --> 00:19:00,560 Speaker 3: you're not you know, two ships crossing paths saying I'm 397 00:19:00,600 --> 00:19:03,240 Speaker 3: in on Monday, you're in on Tuesday. You know, that's 398 00:19:03,280 --> 00:19:06,359 Speaker 3: probably not efficient because you're not getting that FaceTime. So 399 00:19:06,760 --> 00:19:08,600 Speaker 3: the first thing, which a lot of teams have already 400 00:19:08,600 --> 00:19:10,639 Speaker 3: done at Google is just kind of syncing up on 401 00:19:10,720 --> 00:19:13,040 Speaker 3: what that schedule might be. So if you're a sales 402 00:19:13,080 --> 00:19:17,040 Speaker 3: team and everybody typically travels Tuesday through Thursday, then Monday 403 00:19:17,119 --> 00:19:19,080 Speaker 3: might be a good day to meet as a team 404 00:19:19,119 --> 00:19:21,480 Speaker 3: in the office and make sure everyone's there, you know. 405 00:19:21,520 --> 00:19:23,800 Speaker 3: But if you have a different type of schedule, then 406 00:19:23,920 --> 00:19:25,800 Speaker 3: you might say, hey, we're going to be here Tuesday 407 00:19:25,800 --> 00:19:28,000 Speaker 3: and Wednesday, and that's when we'll have our team meeting 408 00:19:28,080 --> 00:19:32,600 Speaker 3: and being really intentional about those touch points. So you know, 409 00:19:32,680 --> 00:19:35,600 Speaker 3: I think the first step is just learning what everyone's 410 00:19:35,600 --> 00:19:37,400 Speaker 3: schedule is going to be and making sure that it's 411 00:19:37,440 --> 00:19:40,080 Speaker 3: a good one that work works for your team. And 412 00:19:40,119 --> 00:19:41,800 Speaker 3: then I think on the other side of it, it's 413 00:19:41,880 --> 00:19:45,120 Speaker 3: just remembering some of the things that we learned about 414 00:19:45,240 --> 00:19:50,320 Speaker 3: connection and collaboration during our work from home period. So 415 00:19:50,560 --> 00:19:53,560 Speaker 3: you know, one thing that really changed, I think is meetings, 416 00:19:53,720 --> 00:19:57,560 Speaker 3: and you know, people got involved when they were on 417 00:19:57,640 --> 00:20:00,719 Speaker 3: a meeting, they could chat, or they could use emoticon 418 00:20:00,880 --> 00:20:03,000 Speaker 3: reactions and everybody was just a. 419 00:20:03,000 --> 00:20:06,200 Speaker 1: Square and you know, it was it was easy for. 420 00:20:06,240 --> 00:20:08,480 Speaker 3: People to chime in and it wasn't a big board 421 00:20:08,560 --> 00:20:11,000 Speaker 3: room where somebody was leading it at the front. So, 422 00:20:11,359 --> 00:20:13,680 Speaker 3: you know, we kind of revolutionize the way that we 423 00:20:13,800 --> 00:20:17,720 Speaker 3: collaborate and take meetings, and I think connecting with people 424 00:20:17,760 --> 00:20:21,280 Speaker 3: and meetings changed for the better. And some of those 425 00:20:21,400 --> 00:20:25,560 Speaker 3: learnings about like having an open question format and taking 426 00:20:25,640 --> 00:20:28,160 Speaker 3: polls and things like that that we did on virtual 427 00:20:28,200 --> 00:20:31,240 Speaker 3: platforms is something we can bring to the office as well. 428 00:20:31,880 --> 00:20:34,479 Speaker 2: Now, something that I think quite a lot about is 429 00:20:34,680 --> 00:20:37,920 Speaker 2: how to measure productivity. And I imagine, giving you are 430 00:20:37,960 --> 00:20:41,560 Speaker 2: a professional productivity expert, you have probably thought a lot 431 00:20:41,600 --> 00:20:43,639 Speaker 2: about this as well, and I would love to know 432 00:20:44,119 --> 00:20:48,679 Speaker 2: how do you assess productivity so that you can know whether, 433 00:20:49,320 --> 00:20:51,520 Speaker 2: like whether it be yourself or one of your coaching 434 00:20:51,600 --> 00:20:55,400 Speaker 2: clients is actually working productively or whether they've been more 435 00:20:55,440 --> 00:20:57,960 Speaker 2: productive as a result of the strategies you've given them. 436 00:20:58,400 --> 00:21:01,480 Speaker 3: Yeah, So that's a great question, and I think it's 437 00:21:01,480 --> 00:21:04,640 Speaker 3: an important one. Anytime you set out to be more productive, 438 00:21:04,680 --> 00:21:06,880 Speaker 3: you really want to understand what does that actually mean? 439 00:21:06,920 --> 00:21:07,960 Speaker 1: What am I shooting for? 440 00:21:08,160 --> 00:21:11,680 Speaker 3: So you know, sometimes when I do big speaking events, 441 00:21:11,680 --> 00:21:13,560 Speaker 3: I ask people to close their eyes think about the 442 00:21:13,560 --> 00:21:17,240 Speaker 3: most productive day they've ever had, and then I asked 443 00:21:17,280 --> 00:21:19,560 Speaker 3: them to open their eyes and raise their hand if 444 00:21:19,560 --> 00:21:21,439 Speaker 3: they were thinking about a day where they sat on 445 00:21:21,440 --> 00:21:23,400 Speaker 3: the couch and watch TV all day. And of course 446 00:21:23,440 --> 00:21:26,400 Speaker 3: no one raises their hand because that's not our standard 447 00:21:26,440 --> 00:21:29,960 Speaker 3: definition of being productive checking things off your to do list, 448 00:21:30,080 --> 00:21:34,320 Speaker 3: output output output busyness. But I always argue that if 449 00:21:34,359 --> 00:21:38,919 Speaker 3: you set out to relax and finish a season and 450 00:21:39,000 --> 00:21:42,439 Speaker 3: then you did it and you completed it, then that 451 00:21:42,680 --> 00:21:45,360 Speaker 3: was a productive day. So I think, you know, it's 452 00:21:45,400 --> 00:21:48,760 Speaker 3: really thinking about what are my biggest priorities? Am I 453 00:21:49,760 --> 00:21:53,480 Speaker 3: setting an intention to do them, setting out time to 454 00:21:53,600 --> 00:21:56,560 Speaker 3: do them in a time that works for me, and 455 00:21:56,600 --> 00:22:00,480 Speaker 3: then doing them well and completing them. So I think, 456 00:22:00,560 --> 00:22:02,960 Speaker 3: you know, for a lot of people, when I start 457 00:22:02,960 --> 00:22:06,159 Speaker 3: my coaching, I actually ask a couple of questions in 458 00:22:06,240 --> 00:22:08,680 Speaker 3: a weird format so they don't really know what I'm 459 00:22:08,720 --> 00:22:10,600 Speaker 3: asking because sometimes. 460 00:22:10,400 --> 00:22:12,920 Speaker 1: When you say you know, what are your productivity. 461 00:22:12,320 --> 00:22:14,880 Speaker 3: Goals, that's a little too direct to really fish out 462 00:22:14,880 --> 00:22:17,280 Speaker 3: what's going on. So a lot of times I'll start 463 00:22:17,320 --> 00:22:20,040 Speaker 3: by asking if you had an extra hour in your day, 464 00:22:20,920 --> 00:22:21,480 Speaker 3: what would. 465 00:22:21,320 --> 00:22:21,919 Speaker 1: You do with it? 466 00:22:22,240 --> 00:22:24,960 Speaker 3: And that's usually what I call like the edge. It's 467 00:22:25,040 --> 00:22:28,159 Speaker 3: kind of like what they feel like they should be 468 00:22:28,240 --> 00:22:30,720 Speaker 3: doing but they aren't. Now, if I told you, you know, 469 00:22:30,800 --> 00:22:32,560 Speaker 3: you won the lottery, you have a million hours in 470 00:22:32,600 --> 00:22:34,960 Speaker 3: your day, you would give like a very different answer. 471 00:22:35,359 --> 00:22:36,880 Speaker 1: But this is usually okay. 472 00:22:37,040 --> 00:22:42,080 Speaker 3: I always wish I got to bigger visions for my team, 473 00:22:42,280 --> 00:22:44,840 Speaker 3: or spending more time with my kids or. 474 00:22:45,119 --> 00:22:46,239 Speaker 1: You know whatever that is. 475 00:22:46,320 --> 00:22:48,520 Speaker 3: So I usually ask that what would you do with 476 00:22:48,560 --> 00:22:52,200 Speaker 3: an extra hour question because that's my goal for them 477 00:22:52,800 --> 00:22:55,240 Speaker 3: by the end of our coaching session, because they don't 478 00:22:55,280 --> 00:22:58,520 Speaker 3: really remember that they're setting that. But then I say, hey, like, 479 00:22:58,640 --> 00:23:00,520 Speaker 3: now that we've done all this work, do you feel 480 00:23:00,520 --> 00:23:03,240 Speaker 3: like you're spending more time with your kids every day? 481 00:23:03,280 --> 00:23:06,000 Speaker 3: And you know, hopefully the answer is yes. So that's 482 00:23:06,040 --> 00:23:10,399 Speaker 3: one way that I typically measure productivity. And then a 483 00:23:10,440 --> 00:23:13,600 Speaker 3: lot of it's just about how you feel. So you know, 484 00:23:14,000 --> 00:23:16,440 Speaker 3: a lot of people think, oh, if I'm checking things. 485 00:23:16,240 --> 00:23:17,960 Speaker 1: Off my to do list or I've been back to 486 00:23:17,960 --> 00:23:19,359 Speaker 1: back meetings, that's productive. 487 00:23:19,400 --> 00:23:23,040 Speaker 3: But as I mentioned, you know, if you're burning yourself out, 488 00:23:23,160 --> 00:23:25,080 Speaker 3: or if you're doing work at night when you're a 489 00:23:25,119 --> 00:23:26,200 Speaker 3: morning person, and. 490 00:23:26,440 --> 00:23:27,600 Speaker 1: That's not great work. 491 00:23:27,640 --> 00:23:30,480 Speaker 3: And so you know, a lot of it's just what 492 00:23:30,600 --> 00:23:33,320 Speaker 3: capacity do I feel like I'm operating at? So that's 493 00:23:33,359 --> 00:23:36,160 Speaker 3: another question I ask people at the beginning and then 494 00:23:36,359 --> 00:23:39,720 Speaker 3: ending of our coaching sessions to see how they're feeling 495 00:23:39,800 --> 00:23:41,320 Speaker 3: about you know, am I feeling good? 496 00:23:41,320 --> 00:23:43,159 Speaker 1: Am I on top of it? Do I have energy 497 00:23:43,200 --> 00:23:45,800 Speaker 1: to do big projects and execute? 498 00:23:46,600 --> 00:23:49,840 Speaker 3: Because that's how you flow through your day and your week, 499 00:23:49,920 --> 00:23:51,240 Speaker 3: which is how you stay productive. 500 00:23:55,080 --> 00:23:57,719 Speaker 2: We will be back soon with Laura talking about her 501 00:23:57,800 --> 00:24:02,000 Speaker 2: coaching sessions with Google's top executives and what they actually 502 00:24:02,040 --> 00:24:05,160 Speaker 2: look like and what are some of the first questions 503 00:24:05,359 --> 00:24:08,879 Speaker 2: that she asks them. If you're looking for more tips 504 00:24:08,880 --> 00:24:11,639 Speaker 2: to improve the way that you work, I write a 505 00:24:11,680 --> 00:24:15,240 Speaker 2: short fortnightly newsletter that contains three cool things that I've 506 00:24:15,240 --> 00:24:19,159 Speaker 2: discovered that helped me work better, ranging from software and 507 00:24:19,240 --> 00:24:22,720 Speaker 2: gadgets that I'm loving through to interesting research findings. You 508 00:24:22,760 --> 00:24:25,960 Speaker 2: can sign up for that at Howiwork dot Code. That's 509 00:24:26,040 --> 00:24:30,080 Speaker 2: how I Work dot co. I want to dig more 510 00:24:30,119 --> 00:24:33,040 Speaker 2: into these coaching sessions because I personally I'd just love 511 00:24:33,080 --> 00:24:33,440 Speaker 2: to be a. 512 00:24:33,400 --> 00:24:36,119 Speaker 1: Fly on the wall. They sound fascinating, like what. 513 00:24:36,000 --> 00:24:39,719 Speaker 2: Does that first session look like? With someone who you're coaching, 514 00:24:39,720 --> 00:24:43,840 Speaker 2: and presumably just to set the picture you coach executives 515 00:24:43,840 --> 00:24:44,400 Speaker 2: at Google. 516 00:24:44,600 --> 00:24:45,720 Speaker 1: Is that that sort. 517 00:24:45,520 --> 00:24:50,040 Speaker 2: Of Yeah, So people who I imagine have very very 518 00:24:50,040 --> 00:24:53,040 Speaker 2: busy work lives, like what are some of the questions 519 00:24:53,080 --> 00:24:56,960 Speaker 2: that you're asking in that initial session other than like 520 00:24:57,000 --> 00:24:58,960 Speaker 2: if you had an extra hour, what would you be 521 00:24:59,000 --> 00:24:59,399 Speaker 2: doing with that? 522 00:24:59,440 --> 00:25:00,840 Speaker 1: And I love that question, by the way. 523 00:25:01,320 --> 00:25:04,840 Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, So you know a lot of times I ask, 524 00:25:05,040 --> 00:25:08,280 Speaker 3: what are your top three priorities right now? And you know, 525 00:25:08,359 --> 00:25:11,560 Speaker 3: that's another thing that I'll sometimes secretly pull up their 526 00:25:11,600 --> 00:25:13,880 Speaker 3: calendar from the last three weeks and have it printed 527 00:25:13,880 --> 00:25:16,560 Speaker 3: out and then say, okay, so based on those three 528 00:25:16,600 --> 00:25:18,840 Speaker 3: priorities you just told me, let's go ahead and highlight 529 00:25:18,920 --> 00:25:21,600 Speaker 3: everything that was focused on that in the last three weeks, 530 00:25:21,600 --> 00:25:22,400 Speaker 3: to see, you. 531 00:25:22,359 --> 00:25:23,760 Speaker 1: Know, where you're spending your time. 532 00:25:23,840 --> 00:25:26,480 Speaker 3: So I don't want to call them sneaky, but you know, 533 00:25:26,560 --> 00:25:29,200 Speaker 3: they're like questions to try to flush something out. 534 00:25:30,240 --> 00:25:30,479 Speaker 1: You know. 535 00:25:30,560 --> 00:25:34,400 Speaker 3: Then I ask, you know, what is your ideal collaborative 536 00:25:34,480 --> 00:25:38,080 Speaker 3: time versus focus time? Because I think it's important to 537 00:25:38,200 --> 00:25:42,080 Speaker 3: know each exec's kind of ideal situation because there are 538 00:25:42,119 --> 00:25:44,720 Speaker 3: some who say, you know, I really don't need to 539 00:25:44,800 --> 00:25:46,800 Speaker 3: have a lot of heads down time. My job is 540 00:25:46,840 --> 00:25:49,800 Speaker 3: to just review product ideas and give feedback. So if 541 00:25:49,800 --> 00:25:52,360 Speaker 3: their calendar has tons of meetings on it all day, 542 00:25:52,480 --> 00:25:54,760 Speaker 3: that's okay because that's their job. And then there's some 543 00:25:54,880 --> 00:25:57,399 Speaker 3: that are saying, hey, I really need to research and 544 00:25:58,080 --> 00:26:00,480 Speaker 3: code and I need to have that heads down times, so. 545 00:26:00,400 --> 00:26:02,159 Speaker 1: Their schedule would look totally different. 546 00:26:03,040 --> 00:26:06,359 Speaker 3: So I also ask, you know, what are your two 547 00:26:06,400 --> 00:26:09,560 Speaker 3: to three boundaries that you always live by? And notice 548 00:26:09,560 --> 00:26:12,800 Speaker 3: how I don't ask do you have any? Because I 549 00:26:12,920 --> 00:26:15,960 Speaker 3: try to catch them off guard, almost to say, oh, 550 00:26:16,119 --> 00:26:19,720 Speaker 3: you know, I try not to work after eight pm 551 00:26:19,840 --> 00:26:22,440 Speaker 3: or whatever that is. You know, I try to get 552 00:26:22,480 --> 00:26:24,920 Speaker 3: them to either admit that they don't have any boundaries 553 00:26:25,000 --> 00:26:28,040 Speaker 3: or they haven't stuck to them, or if I can 554 00:26:28,080 --> 00:26:30,560 Speaker 3: tell right away if they have them and they stick 555 00:26:30,640 --> 00:26:32,800 Speaker 3: to them, you know, which many of them do. They'll say, 556 00:26:32,920 --> 00:26:34,879 Speaker 3: you know, I never work on the weekends or I 557 00:26:34,960 --> 00:26:37,960 Speaker 3: never send email on Sundays or whatever that is. So 558 00:26:38,040 --> 00:26:40,520 Speaker 3: I try to figure out, you know, where is it 559 00:26:40,600 --> 00:26:44,840 Speaker 3: that they are placing some of the importance on, like 560 00:26:45,040 --> 00:26:48,840 Speaker 3: their own well being and boundaries. And then you know, 561 00:26:48,880 --> 00:26:51,840 Speaker 3: with the top three priorities, a lot of times they'll 562 00:26:51,880 --> 00:26:53,840 Speaker 3: answer me only things that have to do with work. 563 00:26:53,840 --> 00:26:55,399 Speaker 3: But I always say, you know, you don't have a 564 00:26:55,720 --> 00:26:57,399 Speaker 3: work you and a personal you. 565 00:26:58,440 --> 00:27:00,800 Speaker 1: It's kind of just you. And so if one of 566 00:27:00,840 --> 00:27:02,240 Speaker 1: your priorities right now. 567 00:27:02,240 --> 00:27:05,399 Speaker 3: Is selling your house or whatever that is, you know 568 00:27:05,480 --> 00:27:08,520 Speaker 3: that's something that should be part of your circle because 569 00:27:08,600 --> 00:27:10,760 Speaker 3: that's something that will be part of your time. 570 00:27:10,880 --> 00:27:13,320 Speaker 1: So you know, I asked them that. 571 00:27:13,600 --> 00:27:16,440 Speaker 3: Another one I ask is if you were home by 572 00:27:16,480 --> 00:27:21,080 Speaker 3: yourself tomorrow with no meetings and just some work and 573 00:27:21,160 --> 00:27:24,200 Speaker 3: emails to do and nobody else was there, how would 574 00:27:24,240 --> 00:27:25,200 Speaker 3: you structure your day? 575 00:27:25,240 --> 00:27:28,400 Speaker 1: And the goal of that question is to understand are 576 00:27:28,400 --> 00:27:29,479 Speaker 1: they a morning person? 577 00:27:30,440 --> 00:27:32,320 Speaker 3: You know a lot of people say, oh, I do 578 00:27:32,359 --> 00:27:33,800 Speaker 3: a lot of my work at night, and then I 579 00:27:33,840 --> 00:27:35,280 Speaker 3: ask them and they say, no, I'm more of a 580 00:27:35,320 --> 00:27:35,879 Speaker 3: morning person. 581 00:27:35,880 --> 00:27:37,200 Speaker 1: I just have meetings in the morning. 582 00:27:37,240 --> 00:27:40,000 Speaker 3: So okay, that's not ideal because you know, if you 583 00:27:40,119 --> 00:27:42,000 Speaker 3: focus better in the morning, you should have some of 584 00:27:42,040 --> 00:27:44,440 Speaker 3: that time block. So I try to see are they 585 00:27:44,480 --> 00:27:48,480 Speaker 3: a late riser who likes to do their workout and then. 586 00:27:48,600 --> 00:27:51,920 Speaker 1: Get into work in the afternoon and work in the evening, 587 00:27:52,160 --> 00:27:53,920 Speaker 1: or are they, you know, the opposite. 588 00:27:54,040 --> 00:27:56,040 Speaker 3: So my goal is to figure out, like what is 589 00:27:56,080 --> 00:28:00,560 Speaker 3: their natural flow with no other variables there, and then 590 00:28:00,600 --> 00:28:03,360 Speaker 3: that helps me figure out, you know, how could their 591 00:28:03,440 --> 00:28:06,199 Speaker 3: schedule be more optimized to capitalize on that. 592 00:28:07,359 --> 00:28:11,439 Speaker 2: How do you use executive assistants because I imagine they 593 00:28:11,440 --> 00:28:14,080 Speaker 2: would have a great deal of insight into the executives 594 00:28:14,080 --> 00:28:18,119 Speaker 2: that you're coaching, So what do you work through with them? 595 00:28:18,640 --> 00:28:19,840 Speaker 1: Yeah, that's a great question. 596 00:28:19,880 --> 00:28:23,639 Speaker 3: And I always meet with the assistant first before I 597 00:28:23,720 --> 00:28:25,560 Speaker 3: meet with the exec because I feel like it's just 598 00:28:25,640 --> 00:28:28,479 Speaker 3: good context. It helps me understand, you know, what are 599 00:28:28,520 --> 00:28:30,760 Speaker 3: the ins and outs of what the exec might be 600 00:28:30,880 --> 00:28:33,440 Speaker 3: dealing with. Maybe it's like they are in the middle 601 00:28:33,440 --> 00:28:36,560 Speaker 3: of a big reorg, or they had somebody leave their 602 00:28:36,600 --> 00:28:38,800 Speaker 3: team and they're taking on a ton of responsibilities. So 603 00:28:38,840 --> 00:28:41,680 Speaker 3: it kind of just sets the scene for what I'm 604 00:28:41,720 --> 00:28:43,800 Speaker 3: about to get into. So I feel like I can 605 00:28:44,120 --> 00:28:46,920 Speaker 3: have a lot more context and give better advice than 606 00:28:47,000 --> 00:28:50,440 Speaker 3: showing up, you know, right from the start with these questions. 607 00:28:50,480 --> 00:28:52,200 Speaker 3: I mean, they're good and they pull out a lot, 608 00:28:52,280 --> 00:28:55,400 Speaker 3: but with that and the context from the assistant, that's 609 00:28:55,440 --> 00:28:58,360 Speaker 3: really helpful. I also usually have the assistant kind of 610 00:28:58,400 --> 00:29:01,760 Speaker 3: prepare some things ahead of time that give us data 611 00:29:01,800 --> 00:29:02,840 Speaker 3: based insights. 612 00:29:02,880 --> 00:29:05,360 Speaker 1: So, for example, if I'm working with an exec. 613 00:29:05,120 --> 00:29:08,480 Speaker 3: Who says I feel like I'm in a lot of meetings, 614 00:29:08,840 --> 00:29:12,640 Speaker 3: you know, that's just a kind of an overarching statement, 615 00:29:12,720 --> 00:29:15,040 Speaker 3: but what does that really mean? So beforehand, I'll have 616 00:29:15,120 --> 00:29:17,280 Speaker 3: the assistant fill out what I call like a meeting 617 00:29:17,320 --> 00:29:22,640 Speaker 3: frequency analysis that says, who are you meeting with bi weekly, monthly, weekly, 618 00:29:22,880 --> 00:29:27,600 Speaker 3: you know, quarterly, what is your weekly management meeting? And 619 00:29:27,960 --> 00:29:30,760 Speaker 3: what is the total time you're spending in those a quarter. 620 00:29:30,840 --> 00:29:32,600 Speaker 3: Because a lot of times we throw out these words 621 00:29:32,640 --> 00:29:35,360 Speaker 3: like bi weekly, but it's like two hours bi weekly 622 00:29:36,040 --> 00:29:39,120 Speaker 3: is actually more than a thirty minute check in weekly. 623 00:29:39,240 --> 00:29:42,080 Speaker 3: So it's like what are the actual total times? And 624 00:29:42,120 --> 00:29:46,000 Speaker 3: then we sort from the top, descending to say like 625 00:29:46,240 --> 00:29:48,400 Speaker 3: is this what you thought you were spending your most 626 00:29:48,440 --> 00:29:50,280 Speaker 3: time on? Does this look right? You know, are you 627 00:29:50,320 --> 00:29:52,200 Speaker 3: spending the most time with the people you want to? 628 00:29:52,400 --> 00:29:56,040 Speaker 3: So they'll do that. They'll do an analysis more of like, 629 00:29:56,240 --> 00:29:58,080 Speaker 3: you know, what projects are you spending a lot of 630 00:29:58,120 --> 00:29:59,040 Speaker 3: time on this quarter? 631 00:29:59,120 --> 00:30:01,320 Speaker 1: I have like a template for that. So they usually 632 00:30:01,360 --> 00:30:01,880 Speaker 1: come with. 633 00:30:01,800 --> 00:30:04,480 Speaker 3: Some of the data based insight, and they're kind of 634 00:30:04,480 --> 00:30:06,680 Speaker 3: the first line of defense for the exec as far 635 00:30:06,720 --> 00:30:09,840 Speaker 3: as how they're protecting their schedule and what they're already 636 00:30:09,880 --> 00:30:12,560 Speaker 3: doing to be productive. So that's always you know, every 637 00:30:12,600 --> 00:30:14,960 Speaker 3: exec I talked to has things that they're doing that. 638 00:30:14,960 --> 00:30:17,480 Speaker 1: I actually learn from or take to other sessions. 639 00:30:17,520 --> 00:30:19,800 Speaker 3: So I find that really helpful to talk to the 640 00:30:19,800 --> 00:30:22,640 Speaker 3: assistant first and say, wow, I can already see you know, 641 00:30:22,680 --> 00:30:23,960 Speaker 3: they have good boundaries, or. 642 00:30:24,000 --> 00:30:27,240 Speaker 1: Their team says they're amazing at email, or they already. 643 00:30:26,840 --> 00:30:29,120 Speaker 3: Host office hours, which is a good way to condense 644 00:30:29,160 --> 00:30:31,080 Speaker 3: some of those random meetings things like that. 645 00:30:31,960 --> 00:30:34,440 Speaker 1: So I get a lot of info from the assistant. 646 00:30:34,960 --> 00:30:37,800 Speaker 2: What are some of the is it a standout or 647 00:30:38,040 --> 00:30:42,080 Speaker 2: maybe quirkiest strategies that you've heard some of these execs 648 00:30:42,120 --> 00:30:44,200 Speaker 2: applying before they start working with you. 649 00:30:45,080 --> 00:30:47,720 Speaker 3: Yeah, that's why I feel like I just feel so lucky, 650 00:30:47,760 --> 00:30:50,080 Speaker 3: because there's always little things that I can help with, 651 00:30:50,160 --> 00:30:52,400 Speaker 3: and you know, somebody might be in a transition period 652 00:30:52,440 --> 00:30:55,560 Speaker 3: where I can provide, you know, some activities and insight. 653 00:30:55,640 --> 00:30:58,959 Speaker 3: But I've just learned so much from all the execs 654 00:30:59,000 --> 00:31:00,760 Speaker 3: I've worked with that I feel like there's things that 655 00:31:00,800 --> 00:31:03,960 Speaker 3: I've even implemented myself. But you know, some of the 656 00:31:05,400 --> 00:31:08,880 Speaker 3: practices I think are really cool are having like a 657 00:31:09,040 --> 00:31:11,600 Speaker 3: post it on your computer screen with. 658 00:31:11,520 --> 00:31:12,720 Speaker 1: Your top three priorities. 659 00:31:12,760 --> 00:31:15,720 Speaker 3: One exec I worked with did that, and every time 660 00:31:15,880 --> 00:31:17,880 Speaker 3: something came up or she was asked to speak at 661 00:31:17,880 --> 00:31:19,720 Speaker 3: something or do this or do this, it was like 662 00:31:19,760 --> 00:31:22,000 Speaker 3: her top three priorities were just like staring her in 663 00:31:22,040 --> 00:31:24,880 Speaker 3: the face, so that you know, occasionally she would go 664 00:31:24,920 --> 00:31:27,320 Speaker 3: outside of those, but you know, it was like, hey, no, 665 00:31:27,560 --> 00:31:29,800 Speaker 3: at the end of the year, I'm going to ask myself, 666 00:31:29,800 --> 00:31:31,960 Speaker 3: did I accomplish these things? And like, you know, I 667 00:31:32,040 --> 00:31:34,760 Speaker 3: need to keep that time. So I think that's nice 668 00:31:34,800 --> 00:31:38,400 Speaker 3: as just a constant reminder. I had one exec that 669 00:31:39,000 --> 00:31:43,560 Speaker 3: had a daily urgent schedule block, you know, right after 670 00:31:43,680 --> 00:31:47,080 Speaker 3: lunch from one to two, and it was public. 671 00:31:47,280 --> 00:31:49,160 Speaker 1: He told his team about it. 672 00:31:49,160 --> 00:31:51,760 Speaker 3: It was only things that came up day of were 673 00:31:51,840 --> 00:31:54,840 Speaker 3: allowed there, and it was his way of like not 674 00:31:54,960 --> 00:31:58,520 Speaker 3: blowing up his entire schedule if something came up that day. 675 00:31:59,120 --> 00:32:02,200 Speaker 3: And so it became just common language on his team 676 00:32:02,200 --> 00:32:04,440 Speaker 3: where they would say, oh, we need a decision from him. 677 00:32:04,480 --> 00:32:06,720 Speaker 3: We know that we'll get him tomorrow at one or 678 00:32:06,760 --> 00:32:09,240 Speaker 3: one thirty, so let's go ahead and make sure everyone's free. 679 00:32:09,280 --> 00:32:11,959 Speaker 3: Then you know, it's just like so efficient because everyone 680 00:32:12,080 --> 00:32:15,160 Speaker 3: knew about it, and you know, they knew that only 681 00:32:15,240 --> 00:32:17,120 Speaker 3: things that were truly urgent were going to go on 682 00:32:17,200 --> 00:32:19,880 Speaker 3: that day, and if nothing came up, then he used 683 00:32:19,880 --> 00:32:23,200 Speaker 3: it as a time to work or catch up on emails. 684 00:32:23,240 --> 00:32:27,959 Speaker 3: So that's definitely one that I've taken and given to others. 685 00:32:29,400 --> 00:32:30,840 Speaker 1: And you know, I. 686 00:32:30,680 --> 00:32:35,120 Speaker 3: Have a lot of execs who really understand their own flows. 687 00:32:35,160 --> 00:32:37,760 Speaker 3: So some of them say, you know, I come up 688 00:32:37,760 --> 00:32:39,840 Speaker 3: with my best ideas when I take a thirty minute 689 00:32:39,920 --> 00:32:42,160 Speaker 3: walk in the afternoon, so I do that without my 690 00:32:42,280 --> 00:32:45,440 Speaker 3: devices and and things like that. So I think people really, 691 00:32:45,520 --> 00:32:48,760 Speaker 3: during work from home came up with those what are 692 00:32:48,800 --> 00:32:53,880 Speaker 3: my ways of decompressing And you know, for you, maybe 693 00:32:53,920 --> 00:32:56,280 Speaker 3: it's spending time with your daughter in the morning, or 694 00:32:56,360 --> 00:32:59,240 Speaker 3: I found that I, you know, just really love cutting 695 00:32:59,280 --> 00:33:01,440 Speaker 3: my own grass, so I still do that at the 696 00:33:01,520 --> 00:33:03,280 Speaker 3: end of the workday and it kind of helps me 697 00:33:03,640 --> 00:33:05,840 Speaker 3: decompress and think of all the things I want to 698 00:33:05,840 --> 00:33:08,400 Speaker 3: tell my team or whatever that is. So, you know, 699 00:33:08,560 --> 00:33:12,160 Speaker 3: it's funny to hear what people's routines are, especially after 700 00:33:12,200 --> 00:33:14,080 Speaker 3: we've had the chance to work from home and really 701 00:33:14,120 --> 00:33:14,840 Speaker 3: flesh them out. 702 00:33:15,960 --> 00:33:18,720 Speaker 2: It sounds like some of these execs I really thought 703 00:33:18,800 --> 00:33:21,480 Speaker 2: quite tefically about productivity, which I love, But what about 704 00:33:21,480 --> 00:33:25,400 Speaker 2: the ones that just you starting from scratch, Like, what 705 00:33:25,560 --> 00:33:31,320 Speaker 2: are the basic or fundamental shall we say, productivity strategies 706 00:33:31,360 --> 00:33:34,080 Speaker 2: that you think most people could benefit from, Like if 707 00:33:34,120 --> 00:33:35,600 Speaker 2: you ask starting from a blank slit. 708 00:33:35,920 --> 00:33:39,200 Speaker 3: Yeah, so I think you know, like you said, everyone 709 00:33:39,280 --> 00:33:42,320 Speaker 3: is different, everyone has different responsibilities, different strengths. 710 00:33:42,880 --> 00:33:44,720 Speaker 1: But I think there's just if. 711 00:33:44,600 --> 00:33:49,320 Speaker 3: I'm like, okay, let's start from the basics here. 712 00:33:49,880 --> 00:33:51,320 Speaker 1: The first thing I do. 713 00:33:51,920 --> 00:33:56,600 Speaker 3: Is I ask them to do an analysis of their calendar, 714 00:33:56,720 --> 00:33:59,400 Speaker 3: because I think a lot of pressure gets thrown on 715 00:33:59,440 --> 00:34:03,120 Speaker 3: the calendar. A lot of times. Execs think, you know, 716 00:34:03,240 --> 00:34:07,000 Speaker 3: I have too many meetings, but you start to see, okay, 717 00:34:07,040 --> 00:34:10,120 Speaker 3: it's because they're not answering emails. That people are just 718 00:34:10,200 --> 00:34:13,360 Speaker 3: throwing time on their calendar, you know, so the pressure 719 00:34:13,440 --> 00:34:15,759 Speaker 3: is gonna come somewhere, or I feel really distracted. 720 00:34:15,760 --> 00:34:17,240 Speaker 1: I'm getting chatted. 721 00:34:16,920 --> 00:34:19,120 Speaker 3: All the time, and it's like, well, that's because you 722 00:34:19,120 --> 00:34:21,680 Speaker 3: don't have any breaks in your schedule, so people again 723 00:34:21,719 --> 00:34:23,799 Speaker 3: are trying to find you, you know, So we kind 724 00:34:23,800 --> 00:34:25,400 Speaker 3: of just take a look at the calendar because I 725 00:34:25,400 --> 00:34:29,080 Speaker 3: feel like that's probably like the heart of productivity. I 726 00:34:29,120 --> 00:34:31,960 Speaker 3: would say, is like, you know, I've heard a quote 727 00:34:31,960 --> 00:34:34,359 Speaker 3: that I love that said, don't tell me, don't tell 728 00:34:34,400 --> 00:34:38,239 Speaker 3: me your priorities, show me your calendar, because it's basically 729 00:34:38,360 --> 00:34:41,080 Speaker 3: like that is where you're spending your time, So let's 730 00:34:41,080 --> 00:34:43,520 Speaker 3: see what's going on there. So I put if I 731 00:34:43,600 --> 00:34:45,959 Speaker 3: had to do one thing, it would basically be put 732 00:34:46,040 --> 00:34:48,799 Speaker 3: someone on what i'd call like a meeting diet, you know, 733 00:34:48,960 --> 00:34:51,439 Speaker 3: like where can we cut, Where can we make sure 734 00:34:51,480 --> 00:34:54,919 Speaker 3: that we don't have anything that doesn't need to be there. 735 00:34:55,080 --> 00:34:58,279 Speaker 1: Let's just take off. Let's look next week. Is there 736 00:34:58,320 --> 00:35:00,640 Speaker 1: anything we can cut? Let's look at this past week. 737 00:35:00,680 --> 00:35:03,160 Speaker 3: Is there anything that was a waste of time? I 738 00:35:03,239 --> 00:35:05,239 Speaker 3: call it look back, look forward, you know. So that 739 00:35:05,280 --> 00:35:09,080 Speaker 3: would be like my first strategy is let's figure out 740 00:35:09,160 --> 00:35:12,600 Speaker 3: where you have too many meetings, lighten that up, and 741 00:35:12,640 --> 00:35:16,000 Speaker 3: then the inbox is usually kind of the next step 742 00:35:16,040 --> 00:35:19,799 Speaker 3: of saying okay again, the pressure might be blowing up 743 00:35:19,840 --> 00:35:23,440 Speaker 3: your inbox because you're not available during the day or 744 00:35:23,560 --> 00:35:25,319 Speaker 3: you know, you're not reading your email during the day, 745 00:35:25,360 --> 00:35:27,760 Speaker 3: so then you're feeling like you're behind in your meetings 746 00:35:27,840 --> 00:35:29,959 Speaker 3: or whatever that is. So they usually go hand in hand. 747 00:35:30,120 --> 00:35:33,279 Speaker 3: So in the inbox. I do a version of kind 748 00:35:33,320 --> 00:35:33,680 Speaker 3: of like. 749 00:35:34,000 --> 00:35:36,520 Speaker 1: Get everything out that does not need to be there. 750 00:35:36,719 --> 00:35:38,279 Speaker 3: You know, some people say to me, oh, I have 751 00:35:38,320 --> 00:35:41,759 Speaker 3: seventy four thousand unread emails, but really, you know, I 752 00:35:41,800 --> 00:35:44,359 Speaker 3: only need to see so and so. I don't open these, 753 00:35:44,400 --> 00:35:46,640 Speaker 3: And I'm like, that's like going into your closet and saying, 754 00:35:47,000 --> 00:35:49,560 Speaker 3: I have five thousand shirts, but I only wear four 755 00:35:49,600 --> 00:35:52,200 Speaker 3: of them. You know what, that's still taking up all 756 00:35:52,239 --> 00:35:54,480 Speaker 3: your mental energy when you go in your closet, So 757 00:35:54,920 --> 00:35:55,680 Speaker 3: get rid of them. 758 00:35:55,680 --> 00:35:57,800 Speaker 1: You don't need to see them. Like how much easier 759 00:35:57,800 --> 00:35:59,840 Speaker 1: would it be to get dressed if you only had. 760 00:35:59,640 --> 00:36:02,400 Speaker 3: Four shits in your closet? And so, you know, I 761 00:36:02,760 --> 00:36:05,120 Speaker 3: start saying, okay, doesn't need to hit the inbox an 762 00:36:05,120 --> 00:36:07,400 Speaker 3: alias you don't care about from your old. 763 00:36:07,280 --> 00:36:09,200 Speaker 1: Job, you know, get it out, get it out, get 764 00:36:09,239 --> 00:36:09,879 Speaker 1: it out, and. 765 00:36:09,800 --> 00:36:13,000 Speaker 3: Then make sure you're popping what you do need to see. 766 00:36:13,080 --> 00:36:15,360 Speaker 3: If your manager is emailing you and you need to 767 00:36:15,400 --> 00:36:17,839 Speaker 3: open that right away, that should look totally different than 768 00:36:17,880 --> 00:36:21,640 Speaker 3: your manager emailing your whole team about you know, social happy. 769 00:36:21,320 --> 00:36:24,080 Speaker 1: Hour next week, So how do we make that look different? 770 00:36:24,200 --> 00:36:28,319 Speaker 3: And then you know, how do we make sure that 771 00:36:28,520 --> 00:36:31,160 Speaker 3: you're opening and answering the things that you need to 772 00:36:31,280 --> 00:36:31,800 Speaker 3: right away. 773 00:36:31,880 --> 00:36:33,400 Speaker 1: So those two. 774 00:36:33,239 --> 00:36:35,080 Speaker 3: Things, I think if you were only going to do 775 00:36:35,160 --> 00:36:37,680 Speaker 3: two things, that would probably be it, and then the 776 00:36:37,800 --> 00:36:40,279 Speaker 3: last piece would be which is more of like a 777 00:36:40,520 --> 00:36:43,520 Speaker 3: long term goal once you have a little bit of 778 00:36:43,680 --> 00:36:48,800 Speaker 3: room based on shaving down your schedule, is asking yourself, 779 00:36:48,840 --> 00:36:52,120 Speaker 3: you know, when are my big times to get things done? 780 00:36:52,200 --> 00:36:55,880 Speaker 1: So when is that two hours that I love. 781 00:36:55,760 --> 00:36:57,960 Speaker 3: Having free because it means I can do what I 782 00:36:58,000 --> 00:37:01,080 Speaker 3: want with it, whether it's email or or deep work 783 00:37:01,200 --> 00:37:05,040 Speaker 3: or thinking or brainstorming or whatever project. 784 00:37:04,600 --> 00:37:05,239 Speaker 1: I'm working on. 785 00:37:05,840 --> 00:37:08,120 Speaker 3: And if it's you know, eight to ten am, how 786 00:37:08,120 --> 00:37:10,680 Speaker 3: can we block that even one to two days a week. 787 00:37:10,760 --> 00:37:14,040 Speaker 3: So that's definitely one of my ultimate goals with execs 788 00:37:14,080 --> 00:37:16,200 Speaker 3: is getting to that point where they feel like, okay, 789 00:37:16,520 --> 00:37:17,480 Speaker 3: like I have. 790 00:37:17,360 --> 00:37:20,080 Speaker 1: My Friday mornings where I know I'm high energy, I 791 00:37:20,160 --> 00:37:21,759 Speaker 1: know what I need to do. Then you know, I 792 00:37:21,840 --> 00:37:25,200 Speaker 1: don't schedule meetings, then having some time I can count 793 00:37:25,239 --> 00:37:28,680 Speaker 1: on where I know I'm going to perform my best. 794 00:37:28,760 --> 00:37:31,440 Speaker 1: So that's kind of the ultimate goal. Once we loosen 795 00:37:31,520 --> 00:37:32,520 Speaker 1: up the calendar some. 796 00:37:33,200 --> 00:37:35,879 Speaker 2: That sounds like the calendar is really critical to your 797 00:37:35,920 --> 00:37:40,600 Speaker 2: work and I've heard you talk about zero based calendaring. 798 00:37:40,719 --> 00:37:43,040 Speaker 2: Can you explain what that e is exactly? 799 00:37:43,880 --> 00:37:48,440 Speaker 3: Yeah, so many people have heard of zero based accounting. 800 00:37:48,560 --> 00:37:52,000 Speaker 3: So what that means is, instead of looking at last 801 00:37:52,080 --> 00:37:55,680 Speaker 3: year's budget to build this year's budget, let's just start 802 00:37:55,719 --> 00:38:00,160 Speaker 3: from scratch, because we all have that tendency to say, well, 803 00:38:00,640 --> 00:38:03,680 Speaker 3: we spent ten thousand dollars on events last year, so 804 00:38:04,000 --> 00:38:07,319 Speaker 3: let's just put that as ten thousand this year, and 805 00:38:07,400 --> 00:38:09,480 Speaker 3: so it just kind of we just look at it 806 00:38:09,520 --> 00:38:11,120 Speaker 3: as well, it already existed, so. 807 00:38:11,120 --> 00:38:12,840 Speaker 1: Let's just go with that and then tweak it a 808 00:38:12,880 --> 00:38:13,279 Speaker 1: little bit. 809 00:38:13,440 --> 00:38:16,440 Speaker 3: So you know, another zero based example is you could 810 00:38:16,480 --> 00:38:19,360 Speaker 3: do zero based closeting where you act like your closet 811 00:38:19,440 --> 00:38:21,960 Speaker 3: is a store. You walk in and you say, would 812 00:38:22,000 --> 00:38:25,480 Speaker 3: I buy this today and the answer is no, then 813 00:38:25,480 --> 00:38:28,359 Speaker 3: you probably are just keeping it because you already had it, 814 00:38:28,440 --> 00:38:29,600 Speaker 3: not because you love it. 815 00:38:29,520 --> 00:38:32,920 Speaker 1: And want to wear it. So that's when we look. 816 00:38:32,719 --> 00:38:35,600 Speaker 3: At our calendar that way and ask ourselves, what's just 817 00:38:35,719 --> 00:38:39,480 Speaker 3: kind of hanging around because we've always had it, and 818 00:38:39,560 --> 00:38:42,319 Speaker 3: not because it's really what we need for our role 819 00:38:42,400 --> 00:38:45,360 Speaker 3: and our priorities right now. That's kind of the zero 820 00:38:45,440 --> 00:38:49,080 Speaker 3: based mentality. So sometimes what I'll do is print out 821 00:38:49,080 --> 00:38:52,399 Speaker 3: a totally blank calendar for an exec or whoever I'm 822 00:38:52,440 --> 00:38:55,400 Speaker 3: working with, and say, okay, let's put the things on 823 00:38:55,440 --> 00:38:58,400 Speaker 3: the calendar that you absolutely cannot change. You know, like 824 00:38:58,480 --> 00:39:01,520 Speaker 3: your manager's meeting. You're not going to cancel that. Okay, 825 00:39:01,560 --> 00:39:05,040 Speaker 3: you put that on your calendar. Now, let's draw in like, 826 00:39:05,160 --> 00:39:08,200 Speaker 3: if you could start from scratch today, based on your 827 00:39:08,280 --> 00:39:11,799 Speaker 3: current team, your current role, your current priorities, what would 828 00:39:11,840 --> 00:39:14,560 Speaker 3: you want your week to look like? Meeting wise or 829 00:39:14,640 --> 00:39:18,480 Speaker 3: time wise, and even just the act even just having 830 00:39:18,480 --> 00:39:20,160 Speaker 3: a blank calendar in front of them. 831 00:39:20,200 --> 00:39:22,399 Speaker 1: You should see how giddy people get, even if none 832 00:39:22,440 --> 00:39:24,560 Speaker 1: of this was ever going to become true. 833 00:39:24,760 --> 00:39:27,560 Speaker 3: It's just that idea of starting from a clean slate 834 00:39:27,600 --> 00:39:31,120 Speaker 3: and asking themselves, Okay, you know what do I want 835 00:39:31,200 --> 00:39:33,400 Speaker 3: if I was in control? You know what would I 836 00:39:33,520 --> 00:39:37,880 Speaker 3: design for myself? So instead of saying, well, you've always 837 00:39:37,960 --> 00:39:40,279 Speaker 3: met bi weekly with Pam, you know. 838 00:39:40,280 --> 00:39:42,440 Speaker 1: Now, they're like, okay, I guess I'll add that on. 839 00:39:42,600 --> 00:39:44,560 Speaker 1: It's like, no, is that still a good you? 840 00:39:44,600 --> 00:39:46,759 Speaker 3: So your time? Do you always have an agenda to 841 00:39:46,800 --> 00:39:48,520 Speaker 3: talk to her about? Do you meet with her in 842 00:39:48,560 --> 00:39:51,120 Speaker 3: other places? Do you ever cancel? Because you have nothing 843 00:39:51,120 --> 00:39:53,040 Speaker 3: to say. Okay, if so. 844 00:39:53,320 --> 00:39:56,439 Speaker 1: Let's not put that on there. So you know, right 845 00:39:56,480 --> 00:39:57,479 Speaker 1: now we kind of. 846 00:39:58,000 --> 00:40:02,120 Speaker 3: Just leave our schedule as it is because that's the easiest. 847 00:40:02,160 --> 00:40:04,759 Speaker 3: But when you think of zero based calendaring, it's just 848 00:40:04,800 --> 00:40:07,000 Speaker 3: a way of saying, I'm not going to keep any 849 00:40:07,080 --> 00:40:10,080 Speaker 3: meeting because I've always had it, or because it worked before, 850 00:40:10,280 --> 00:40:14,120 Speaker 3: or because I previously needed it, or because I always attend, 851 00:40:14,160 --> 00:40:15,840 Speaker 3: so I definitely always should. 852 00:40:16,040 --> 00:40:19,120 Speaker 1: You know, it's no, does this work for me? Now? 853 00:40:19,160 --> 00:40:22,360 Speaker 1: Does this make the most sense? Now? I love that answer. 854 00:40:22,440 --> 00:40:24,000 Speaker 1: I'm going to steal that from myself. 855 00:40:24,480 --> 00:40:27,160 Speaker 2: Yeah, Laura, For people that want to connect with you 856 00:40:27,360 --> 00:40:30,040 Speaker 2: and read more and consume more of the content that 857 00:40:30,080 --> 00:40:32,120 Speaker 2: you've put out into the world, what's the best way 858 00:40:32,160 --> 00:40:33,000 Speaker 2: for people to do that? 859 00:40:33,719 --> 00:40:34,000 Speaker 1: Yeah. 860 00:40:34,040 --> 00:40:37,800 Speaker 3: So I have a YouTube channel under the Google Workspace brand, 861 00:40:37,800 --> 00:40:41,680 Speaker 3: which is g dot co backslash work or sorry, forward 862 00:40:41,719 --> 00:40:42,840 Speaker 3: slash work your space. 863 00:40:43,360 --> 00:40:44,480 Speaker 1: And then I have. 864 00:40:45,960 --> 00:40:49,319 Speaker 3: Many articles on the Google keyword blog, So if you 865 00:40:49,400 --> 00:40:51,080 Speaker 3: just search my name on there, you can see a 866 00:40:51,080 --> 00:40:53,960 Speaker 3: lot of my tips on email and hybrid work and 867 00:40:54,000 --> 00:40:55,319 Speaker 3: remote work and things like. 868 00:40:55,280 --> 00:40:58,600 Speaker 2: That, advizing I will link to those in the chart outes. 869 00:40:58,640 --> 00:41:00,520 Speaker 2: I have no doubt that I will be getting lots 870 00:41:00,520 --> 00:41:04,640 Speaker 2: of clicks and views. Laura, I feel just as inspired 871 00:41:04,719 --> 00:41:07,840 Speaker 2: after I did the first time we chatted on this show. 872 00:41:08,120 --> 00:41:10,440 Speaker 2: You're just like, Oh, You're just like a fountain of 873 00:41:10,520 --> 00:41:12,480 Speaker 2: knowledge when it comes to how to work better. So 874 00:41:12,560 --> 00:41:15,960 Speaker 2: thank you so much for spending another hour with me. 875 00:41:16,600 --> 00:41:18,799 Speaker 1: Yes, it was great. Thank you so much for having me. 876 00:41:20,360 --> 00:41:23,279 Speaker 2: I am such a fan of Laura's work, and one 877 00:41:23,280 --> 00:41:25,680 Speaker 2: of the things I took out of this chat myself 878 00:41:26,400 --> 00:41:28,879 Speaker 2: was asking myself the question, if I had an extra 879 00:41:29,000 --> 00:41:30,600 Speaker 2: hour in the day, what would I. 880 00:41:30,600 --> 00:41:31,760 Speaker 1: Do with it. 881 00:41:30,920 --> 00:41:35,560 Speaker 2: It's such an interesting question to ponder, and you know, 882 00:41:35,680 --> 00:41:38,319 Speaker 2: to consider am I living a life that is in 883 00:41:38,320 --> 00:41:41,160 Speaker 2: line with my values? And am I spending enough time 884 00:41:41,239 --> 00:41:43,440 Speaker 2: on the things that really matter to me, whether that 885 00:41:43,480 --> 00:41:46,000 Speaker 2: be to do with my work life or my non 886 00:41:46,080 --> 00:41:49,279 Speaker 2: work life. Thank you for sharing part of your day 887 00:41:49,360 --> 00:41:52,080 Speaker 2: with me by listening to How I Work. If you're 888 00:41:52,160 --> 00:41:54,760 Speaker 2: keen for more tips on how to work better, connect 889 00:41:54,840 --> 00:41:58,760 Speaker 2: with me via LinkedIn or Instagram. I'm very easy to find. 890 00:41:59,120 --> 00:42:03,880 Speaker 2: Just search for Amantha Imba. How I Work was recorded 891 00:42:03,960 --> 00:42:07,880 Speaker 2: on the traditional land of the Warrangery people, part of 892 00:42:07,920 --> 00:42:11,279 Speaker 2: the Cool and Nation. I am so grateful for being 893 00:42:11,320 --> 00:42:14,200 Speaker 2: able to work and live on this beautiful land, and 894 00:42:14,280 --> 00:42:17,120 Speaker 2: I want to pay my respects to Elder's past, present 895 00:42:17,239 --> 00:42:21,360 Speaker 2: and emerging. How I Work is produced by Inventium with 896 00:42:21,440 --> 00:42:24,759 Speaker 2: production support from Dead Set Studios. The producer for this 897 00:42:24,800 --> 00:42:27,600 Speaker 2: episode was Liam Reardon, and thank you to Martin Nimba 898 00:42:27,840 --> 00:42:30,359 Speaker 2: who did the audio mix and makes everything sound better 899 00:42:30,400 --> 00:42:31,880 Speaker 2: than it would have otherwise