For most parts of the country, the option to go back to the office is a real thing. Sure, there are some safety features to take into account, like wearing a mask, washing hands regularly, etc., depending on your local government. Hybrid work is a very real thing, too. All of that to say being back in person at least some of the time gives us all the options to reset our previous processes. Everything from your commute to lunch to client meetings is now up for a big reset. Take advantage to create the best set of habits to maximize efficiency and enjoyment.
Maybe your firm got used to using an online collaboration tool, like Slack or Microsoft Teams Chat. Perhaps email is the preferred method of communication. Of course, there is Zoom and other online virtual meeting tools. Going forward, how will you continue to use these tools, or will you use them at all? Things to consider:
If your firm had some, well, not-so-great habits in terms of communication prior to the pandemic, this is your golden opportunity to make active improvements. Start by reviewing what worked, and what didn't, and how to best make the best of any technology you adopted.
We all learned this as children. 'Treat others the way you want to be treated.' Awesome stuff. But the reality is we aren't all the same. And my preferences aren't the same as yours. Enter the Platinum Rule. This updated and improved (in my opinion) rule is 'treat others as they want to be treated.'
The best example I have here is pretty close to home. We have two (wonderful!) grown children. One loves to text and is in contact with us randomly throughout the day. One really does not like to text... at all. As for me, well, I love being in touch with them and hearing about their lives. So even though I prefer lots of contact, that drives our one child absolutely crazy. The platinum rule says to treat each person as they prefer to be treated. To the best of my ability, I comply with their requests. And they do the same with me.
All of this to say it's a great time to get to know your colleagues and clients again. Consider how they prefer to be treated. If you aren't sure, it's a great time to ask. As part of the great reset, it's a great opportunity to update and customize your approach, to the extent you are able, anyway.
Bad habits are hard to break. And many of us developed, well, pretty bad ones during the pandemic. In our house, and in many it seems, the amount of time spent working really went up. What else was there to do? In fact, a study found that in the U.S. the average workday grew by 40%. That's a lot. And that's a bad habit.
Regardless of your work location, we all need to get this under control. In my circle, most people also picked up some new hobbies, everything from making sourdough bread to exercise to re-learning the piano. If you are still working that extra-long day, late in the night, or on the weekends, it's time to reset.
The standard response we hear every time we say people need to work less is that the work doesn't go away. Totally get that. Try to get more done in less time by improving your focus. Or better yet, adopt some technology that lets you do the 'thinking' work instead of the 'doing' work.
For many firms to keep their practice healthy, at the start of the pandemic it was a bit of a free-for-all. I don't think I've ever heard of so many uses for a spreadsheet! And that's awesome, frankly. But there are better ways.
The reality is the hybrid approach is going to continue for a very long time. It truly seems to be the new standard. It's a great time to assess your current tech stack, your needs, your client needs, and optimizing everyone's time. No one knows your firm better than you. Finding and adopting tech isn't really hard at all.
Above all, we encourage everyone to take some time and take advantage of this great reset. Self-care, including meditation and physical exercise, are truly crucial for all legal professionals. Keep up with those new hobbies or start one from there. The point is the time is right. Take advantage of it.