The Art of Reducing Noise at Work
For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Marney Andes of marneyandes.com, I’m the bestselling author of Start with the Give-Me Shots, and this is my blog. I want you to know that the topics I write about here are things I’m living and breathing. I combine my own insights and reflections with stories from my real life and exercises you can use if the words resonate with you.
But first—before you start reading—it’s important to know that the topic on my heart today is about work, and it’s geared towards the working individual.
Here’s what’s on my mind today: The importance of quieting the noise in your workday—and what you need to do to accomplish that.
How much noise do you have in your life?
As I continue navigating the remote work environment, where we are constantly plugged in (and appear to be accessible 24/7), setting personal boundaries is essential. Do you feel pulled in a number of directions and not enough time to think or do? When we have excess noise in our life such as information overload in our heads, too much email on the screen, appointments to track, visual distractions in our space, people wanting our time, and more, that’s “noise.” It’s the extra distractions, the “be here, be there”, and more that we either ignore and prioritize, or we trudge through because we don’t know how to manage it.
I’ll share ideas here and in future articles for reducing the noise, but first, a story that brought this topic front and center for me recently.
My husband Allen is typically the person who picks up our son, Brody, from school. But early last month, when he was out of town, I blocked time on my calendar in the morning and in the afternoon for school drop off and school pick up.
During one particularly busy day (somehow every fire was going on at the exact same time) I set the block on my calendar to pick up my son, and when the time came, I let others know, “I'll be back. I am leaving my office to go pick up my son from school and won't be back online until such and such time. I’ll talk to you then.”
In order to set boundaries for yourself, that honor your work-life balance, you simply cannot react to every fire that comes up throughout the day. Instead, create a win-win by proactively using your calendar as a time-budgeting tool and communicating to your team and colleagues about your hard scheduling limits.
When you inform people in an open, honest way, you take the first step toward reducing noise by simply identifying your needs and speaking your truth. Communicating your other commitments ahead of time helps you let go of any fears or concerns you may have of “being unavailable.” When I told my team I was leaving to pick up my son, I didn't forget that things were on fire around us. I acknowledged what was taking place but that for this moment in time, I wouldn’t be available. I didn’t have to panic, and neither did they. By doing so, I was able to leave work and focus on picking up my son, without the need to have my mind thinking about something else. I know it’s simple, but I also know it’s not easy. You have to carve this time out, intentionally.
If you are new to the art of noise reduction, here is a three-step exercise you can use to set the foundation:
Define your work.
How do you define your work? What hours do you work?
Take inventory of your day-to-day activities and commitments. Make note if there are or aren’t any parameters in place. Get clear on your current state and your day-to-day routine.
Make note of your personal time.
When do you give yourself space to just be? How do you carve out the time and space you need to be present?
Block time in your schedule or calendar for personal time, just as you do work meetings and appointments. These can be as nominal as 15-minute blocks throughout the day and week.
Experiment with options.
What can you try to do differently today or this week? What amount of time can you block for yourself so that you don’t run back-to-back into appointments and meetings?
Take the leap and try something new. If it works, great. You’ll have a new approach to continue. If it doesn’t work, don’t worry. You can continue to try new techniques and find out what works for you.
For more advice on succeeding in life, both personally and professionally, you can find Start with the Give-Me Shots on Amazon.
Marney Andes is a born-and-bred farm girl from Wallace, Nebraska. A consultant, educator, and entrepreneur, she has dedicated her career to supporting teams and individuals as they develop and grow. Her experience in performance consulting and leadership development spans a wide range of industries, including technology, healthcare, education, and nonprofit. A college basketball player and former Mrs. America, Marney is the founder of Project Aspire, a nonprofit created to support women in their pursuit of higher education and leadership opportunities. Marney holds a master’s in information and learning technologies from the University of Colorado Denver and currently resides outside of Denver with her husband, Allen, and her two sons, Owen and Brody.