Newsletter Ireland Chapter of PMI - Mar 2020

Ireland Chapter Newsletter

March | 2020

A message from our President, Jackie Glynn

Let me start with you.  I hope you are all safe and well, and coping as best you can with the joys of homeschooling, self-isolation, home-working  and the social distancing measures needed to keep us all safe.

We probably all have projects seriously impacted by Covid-19.  So I'm sharing this practical Assessment Tool from the Brightline Initiative™ , which I found really useful.

To get through, community is key.  And I hope that you feel part of our community.  Our Global CEO, Sunil Prashara, has shared a timely update on our Digital Offerings planned for the months ahead, to ensure that our stakeholders around the globe continue to receive our fullest support.  Check it out here. 

As a community, I believe that we Project Professionals have a unique opportunity to support each other, our families and our friends, our colleagues and firms and ultimately, our society. Let me explain how. Risk and uncertainty are not new to us.  We wrangle with them every day.  Possibly not on this level...but the tools still apply! So, whether you are creating home-schooling lessons, financial plans for the coming months or emergency response plans at work, use the tools of your trade.

The world is changing, rapidly and unexpectedly. But as Project Professionals, we lead people and teams through change all the time. So, whenever you can, help others to accept and manage this change. Sell the benefits of home-working, social distancing and technology. That could mean showing an elderly relative how to facetime or helping teams stay connected while remote. Whatever the case, use your proven ability to manage change and make this difficult time, the best it can be for all.

And lastly take care of you. Isolation and lack of human interaction can take a toll. Check out the article below “Remote Control” for tips to stay well and connected while working from home.

Remote Control: How to own Working from Home

So far this week I have chatted to colleagues and friends working at kitchen tables, coffee tables, bedside lockers, window ledges and even on the floor!

So, here are some simple tips to keep the creaks and pains at bay:

• Eyes on the prize. Elevate your laptop to your eyeline. If you don’t have a riser or additional monitor, books under the laptop work fine!
• Keep it handy. Use a separate mouse/ keyboard if possible and have them in easy reach
• Get comfy. A pillow on your seat or rolled up towel between your chair and lower back can provide decent lumbar support.
• Take breaks. We are less likely at home to step away from the workstation – so pop in a reminder to move every 30/40 mins. 

You may have traded the commute for a casual trot downstairs, but it can be difficult to switch from personal to professional while at home. You may also be missing your morning walk, cycle or work out. And as you head into the third week of working from home, you may be feeling out of touch. As a solution, consider these social distancing friendly tips: 

• Try online exercise: There are so many free videos online offering 30 days of Yoga or Pilates. Perhaps now is the time to take it up?
• Consider a Virtual Coffee: with your Team/ Colleagues first thing each morn. If this does nothing other than allow you to share a morning greeting and signal the start of the day - job done!
• Find ways to talk: Messages and email are great but remember 70% of our communication is non-verbal – try to squeeze in a video or voice call each day.
• Keep learning: Much of our development comes from daily interaction with others: the coaching moments, advice and mentoring. Find this elsewhere. Maybe start with a PMI webinar!  

Niamh Mongey | Editor

Check out the latest PMI Ireland Chapter Podcast:

The Art and the Science, An Interview with Rhonda Doyle | eBay