Weekend Workplace Tips with John Van Cleave
There is no doubt that the current landscape has impacted the way we work. Things are no longer the same as they were a few months ago, and likely will not be the same in the coming months or potentially ever again. We have made a shift. Regardless, work and life carry on and we are here for the ride.
Like many others, my daily rituals and workflow changed overnight, but in some ways, they have not really changed at all.
- My morning trip to grab some coffee and catch up with coworkers became a trip to the fridge for more cold brew and a one sided conversation with my dog.
- My late morning habit of going from sit to stand at work, became a change of scenery, moving from our home office, to the dining room table, or to the patio (when Ohio weather selects which season it is!)
- My mid-day recharge break to get out of the office and grab a quick lunch turned into staring deeply into my fridge to whip up a creative collection of food selections while attending virtual trainings and listening to industry research. (Shout-out to #Steelcase for adapting and overcoming!)
- My afternoon move to a collaborative environment in the office now includes my four-legged co-worker sleeping in the backyard or hunting squirrels with a break for fresh air.
- My final checklist review for the day no longer occurs with sticky notes and tidying my workstation, but rather a scroll through my iPad before my wife gets home and borrows it for an online workout. (Big shout-out to all our healthcare and front-line workers!)
Although it may not have been my strongest subject in school, there is one thing that I haven’t forgotten from Physics and that’s Newtons Third Law.
“For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction”
For me, this goes deeper than calculating an equation on a test that I would never use in real life, but rather the true meaning. For everything that we do on a daily basis, there is a ripple effect that impacts those around us, so just one drop of positivity, encouragement, or laugh during these times can make a difference in those you work and live with.
Keep meetings light and fun, let your dog bark in the background, wear your favorite shirt on a video call, or share what you made for lunch, we are all in this together.
John Van Cleave
Account Executive
LOTH