Work values
August 2021
These are the things that are important to me when we’re working together.
Deep work
Spending time away from distractions, working on what each of us does best, is the key to effectiveness and satisfaction.
Structured communication
When it’s unclear how/when we plan to communicate with each other, we’ll tend toward a situation where every channel is used in every imaginable way. Things get lost, people get overwhelmed. (It’s me, I’m people.)
It’s better to be explicit about how to use email, messaging, project management tools, audio and video tools, and meetings. Nobody has to think about how to reach out when they need input. We reduce the amount of time we spend monitoring communication channels, zoning out in meetings, filtering emails, skimming messages, etc.
We save time, connect more easily, worry less, feel better.
Boundaries, rest, downtime
We don’t work in a factory. Problems get solved when we’re at our desks, sure, but they also get solved while we’re taking a walk, chatting with colleagues, or grocery shopping.
Making time and space for all the activities that don’t look like work means work itself is less stressful. It makes us healthier, prevents burnout, and ultimately makes us more effective.
Experimentation
☝️ All those explicit rules about communication, and boundaries? It’s great that we established them, and it’s also safe to assume they’re not optimal.
We should try stuff out, see how it goes, and adapt accordingly.