Coffee Talk #160: Future Work

It’s Tuesday! Grab your cup and let’s start chattin’.

If we were having coffee together today, I’d give you a glimpse of my planner. Yes, I’m one of those people who likes an actual planner, where I can write down all of my tasks and appointments. I like the feeling of pen to paper, especially when scheduling my day. I like to share this system with my students, because they often talk about needing to be more organized. I love using different colors for different tasks – I separate by different jobs in my planner. I also always schedule my workouts in my planner, because if they are written down, they are more likely to happen! I’ve used a multitude of different style planners, everything from creating bullet journals to purchasing higher-end planners from Erin Condren, but this basic academic planner is my current favorite.

If we were having coffee together today, I’d tell you that one of the reasons I need a planner, and the color-coding system is all of my different jobs. All throughout college, and even when I graduated and got my first ‘professional’ job, I’ve always had more than one job at a time. The HR person I worked with as a student called me the “student with all the stipends.” I was really good at finding project-based work, even then. I’d frequent the job board (a literal bulletin board when I was a student), I’d look for ways to supplement income from my job at a bakery, and later at Dunkin’. I wanted to be able to live independently, and pay for school and books while in college.

I’ve always been crafty when it comes to jobs — in addition to having no fewer than 2 jobs at a time with hours and time clocks, I’d look for little ways to make quick cash. I’d proofread people’s essays (this was an official job on campus, but the hours they wanted me to work didn’t fly with my schedule, so I did this on the side), I’d create logos for people, I even learned website design and management skills to finish a short-term project for the Career Center. I’d look for projects anywhere I could.

If we were having coffee together today, I’d tell you that I think that’s the way of the future professional world — project-based positions with flexible hours. Maybe I’m also putting that out there because that’s my ideal situation. I spent years working a ‘9-5’ job that was more like ‘7-6’ with evening and weekend hours expected. It drained me. I still don’t know how I held down that position, got promotions, and still managed to start my fitness business.

Actually, I do. All I did was work. My jobs consumed my life. They still do, but I feel like I’m more of a director of my day now.

Here’s the most important thing I’ve learned about myself as a working professional: I prefer flexible time and project-based work. I’m not good at being a clock-watcher, and I’m not good at being told where and when I should be (like stuck in an office all day). I like having some control over my schedule, and I like having a multitude of projects to tackle.

Another important thing I’ve learned about myself as a working professional: multi-tasking is fake news. Focus is where it’s at — for all things. I like scheduling a certain amount of time to work on a project, acknowledging the timer, and then moving to the next thing. Multi-tasking might seem like it can help tackle everything, but it kills productivity. I find I’m more creative and able to be attentive to detail if I focus on something for a certain amount of time. I’ll typically schedule things by 30-45 minute intervals, because any shorter isn’t enough time, and any longer and I’ll start to slide into the multi-tasking zone.

From all of this, I’ve also learned about my peak productivity. I know I can perform heavy tasks best in the morning or in the middle of the afternoon. I’m most creative after a tough workout. I’m most inspired by driving and listening to a podcast. I love learning to notice these qualities in my work habits and using them to catapult myself forward toward my goals.

If we were having coffee together today, I’d challenge the status quo of the working world. I think it’s being challenged slowly, every day. By understanding how I best work and when I do my best work, I’m able to be extra productive and complete projects before deadlines. I work a part-time job and find myself crushing goals like a full-time job, because I’ve taken time to get to know myself as a worker. I’d urge supervisors to allow workers to have this freedom to learn, and then to have the confidence and trust to allow people to do their work at their own pace.

What say you? Do you like the comfort and consistency of the 9-5? Do you work totally different hours and want to talk about that? Do you like project-based work? I love talking about this topic, so please share!