the New Office

Work from home my ass. Let’s admit it, we need a moment to escape the commute, desk, snacks, constant interruption. We are searching for inspiration, the sun, a workout, a rhythm to get shit done on our own terms. This is the new office.

But working from home is not the answer. You have to schedule it around a doctors appointment, kid drama, handyman at your house?

What if you didn’t have to go into the office at all on Wednesday? Ever. Wait but what happens on Wednesday? That would entirely be up to you. Call it a no meeting, no attendance required day.

You get a day a week to wake up and do whatever you want to do, however you want to do it. Workout, eat a late breakfast, catch up on email, walk down to the dry cleaners, feel the sunlight, maybe even think about that problem you need to solve at work from a new perspective.

The positive effect:

• employees feel indebted to their employers for this flexible day
• employees don’t schedule nonsense WFH days anymore, you inevitably schedule your stuff on Wednesday
• employees come in on Thursday refreshed and ready to hit the ground running within the SAME WEEK
• employers get to benefit from a wave of positive energy in the office

Anecdote: Starting in January, I structured a part time role working at Color Genomics. After working at Twitter for almost 6 years as Dick Costolo’s EA and Chief of Staff, I was pretty burnt out and thought, OK I can’t take too much time off in fear of getting sucked in by my vices, I’ll work part time and re-energize. My project is specific, find them a new office, design their culture within their workspace. I work Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. This unconventional way of working was new to me but eye opening.

I get more done in those three days then I ever would in a five day work week. Why? I hit the ground running. Each meeting has a set purpose and goal. I work with a sense of urgency and can clearly lay out my weekly goals. I think about work on Wednesday, I am trying to solve 10 different problems and I am taking notes throughout the day getting my to do list ready to tackle come Thursday morning. I am energized going into the office.

So why Wednesday? Mid-week keeps an even two day sprint on both sides.

If you are a CEO, Founder, influencer within your company, I challenge you to think about HOW you and your employees work and if it is truly effective. Trust your employees to be adults and get their work done. Create the New Office.