As the pandemic continues, it’s looking like the need for flexibility is going to be a common theme this year. You may need to work from home sometimes, and at other times you’ll be required to go into work. You may be required to adjust your hours. You may be required to isolate. If you have kids, they may be able to go to school sometimes, and at other times they may need to learn from home... All of this can be overwhelming if we let it, so being prepared is going to make being flexible much easier, no matter what the situation is! On the practical side, if you haven’t done so already, now would be a good time to think what 'knowns' and 'unknows' might crop up for you this year, and consider how you will deal with each scenario – both at home and at work. Make a plan and write it down. Remember to review it as the year goes on and changes occur, or you have new ideas and learn new strategies. At home Be sure to share your plan with your family/whānau and suggest they have a plan of their own. Better yet, work on your plans together! That will help you to consider how each of your situations will impact on the others and what the solutions might be. Here’s some prompts for the types of things you could think about:
At work Carry out the same exercise at work. You could use it as an opportunity for the team to get together if you’re back in the workplace again – share your ideas over a morning tea or lunch if that’s practical, and get reacquainted with each other. It will be easier for your team to adjust if they are a part of the planning. Consider things like:
|