One of the major draws of starting my own business was to create a work environment where people like me could thrive. I craved an atmosphere that honored introvert tendencies (enough with the constant collaboration and open floorplans already!) and that trusted its colleagues enough to let them structure their work days in a manner that best suits them.
Now I have that! At Po Campo, we each have our own space that gives us a place to focus and get work done. We have a flex schedule that allows for remote working, so you can structure your life how you want it.
An unexpected outcome of this arrangement is that work doesn’t feel as urgent. We agree at the beginning of each week what needs to be done that week to keep us moving towards our business goals and then each person is responsible for completing their portion of the tasks. We check in with each other daily, but questions can take a little longer to be answered since you lack the immediacy of impromptu conversations, so you learn to be patient.
Going from the fast-paced environment of a design consultancy to the more easy-going environment of Po Campo took some getting used to for me because at first I worried we were slackers. Now I appreciate that we still get as much work done (if not more), just with a lot less stress. I’ve learned that treating work with less urgency does not mean you care about it any less, it just helps you fit it in to the rest of your life better, which in many ways makes you value it more. For the first time, an actual work-life balance feels attainable.