What is a Values-First Approach to Conscious Work?

How We Do Our Best Work

No more meetings

In 2021, we canceled all our meetings, putting a focus back on the work. We use Thursday for client meetings and give people and accounts the freedom to schedule meetings when they need them.

So, whether it’s a 1:1 with your manager, a coffee check-in with a colleague or something related to an account, we encourage employees to schedule that time at their own discretion.

And we schedule these meetings in the afternoon, reserving the mornings to get real work done.

Best work when you're at your best

Not all hours are created equal. And not all work is created equal.

Your best work is done when your energy levels and ability to focus are the highest. At Ditto, we organize our work around our energy level. After all, our productivity levels are directly related to our energy levels, so we want to schedule our hardest or most important tasks for when our energy levels are at their highest.

• We start our days with the most important tasks. When we start the day off by completing our most important task, it gives employees a boost of momentum and a real sense of accomplishment.

• We use our peak time—when you feel alert and excited—for projects that involve problem-solving, critical thinking and alertness.

Schedule work, not meetings

At Ditto, we timebox to prioritize our work. This involves translating a to-do list into blocks of time on our calendar, scheduling them, and sticking to that schedule.

Instead of working on the task until it's done, we proactively decide how much time we'll spend on it and when. By doing so, it creates more brain space for focused work and removes indecision around having to choose between a multitude of tasks on a seemingly never-ending to-do list.

And by scheduling our work, it eliminates those pesky Slacks from colleagues asking what employees are working on today or checking-in on an assignment. Anyone can look at another employee's calendar and see what they are working on.

No Slack in the morning

The biggest productivity killer is distraction. And so, we want to eliminate distractions and focus on the work. As a result, Ditto has a no Slack in the mornings policy unless it’s absolutely urgent.

With mornings reserved for work that requires deep focus, Slack should be reserved for the afternoon. This requires employees to avoid sending Slacks as well and being courteous of other people’s time.

Employee happiness is the goal

Being in control of your day is one of the biggest drivers of happiness at work. Constant interruptions make us less happy and less productive. This approach means better work gets accomplished, which is hugely satisfying, because this is not just about productivity (largely external), this is about intent (internal, visceral) and how we feel.