“Traveling and connecting with teammates from across the globe is one of the things I miss most about pre-pandemic life. I really miss shaking hands, high-fiving, and hugging people. I do this job because I get to be with people from around the world, and that was taken away physically for a while.
I’ve found virtual ways to connect with people, but at first, I was heading down a path of video burnout. I was sick of it — I was so bored I could hardly stand it. There were days where I felt like, ‘I don’t know what I’m going to do!’ So, I decided that I won’t spend more than four hours a day on video. Once the four hours hit, I convert the rest of the day to telephone meetings. This was kind of weird at first, but then I decided I would walk while I take those meetings. Now I walk about two hours a day, maybe longer. It looks odd — my neighbors are trying to figure out what this guy is doing talking on the phone! But taking walking meetings has changed my view — it helped me decide that I am not going back to an office. I’ve learned I can do this job at home. In fact, I can do my work anywhere that I need to — but I can’t be on video for more than four hours a day. This solution has really helped me.”
This article is edited from a live conversation at Brainstorm Health 2021 during the session “Reimagining A Healthier And More Connected Workplace,” and was moderated by Thrive Global Founder and CEO Arianna Huffington.