In a few months, many of us would have worked remotely for two years, thanks to a global pandemic. If it only takes 21 days to form a new habit, we’ve all indelibly changed the way we work after 700+ days of not being in the office. Three-fourths of us actually found the transition rather simple.
I’ve been reflecting back on how my work style and habits have changed over the last two years, and I can definitely think of three unique ways I’ve changed as a PM to be as or more effective.
#1 — More 1:1's
In the office, catching up 1:1 was a breeze, and often these water cooler encounters were an excellent way to keep tabs on how projects were faring. Without ever scheduling a 1:1, I could easily figure out how my team was feeling, and if there were risks to pay attention to.
Working from home, this is a lot harder, and I’ve found myself setting up explicit 1:1’s, outside any team standup, to get a pulse of how my team feels. I’d estimate the time spent in 1:1 meetings over the week has increased 33% since March of 2020. And even though sometimes this feels more inefficient, it’s totally worth it for the additional bonding and the early risk signals these intimate conversations provide.
#2 — More writing
Much of a PM’s job is done by influence; in person, this could translate to standing around the whiteboard, a quick desk stop-by, or a lunchtime discussion.
Remotely, I’ve found that sharing ideas start by writing things down. The impromptu “Let’s think aloud” sessions have given way to rough GDoc drafts of ideas shared instantly over chat/ email or channels for feedback.
This is a hidden plus of working remotely since writing is a key PM skill. Besides, I enjoy writing as a way to clarify my ideas, so I find this very much an undisguised blessing!
#3 — More automation
We’ve all adapted to flexible work during the pandemic as we juggle work and life. Our communications have grown more asynchronous as a result, so it’s not inconceivable I’d use a late evening time slot the odd day to put finishing touches on specs or ideas.
In the last year, as a result, I’ve found myself scheduling my emails, chats, and posts to send during working hours. This allows me to be more productive by working on a bunch of related activities together (eg. an initial shareout and a reminder for feedback), but stagger delivery over a period.
Additionally, I’ve increased my reliance on reminders — snoozing things I need to follow up to a later time when I can give them more focused thought.