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Embrace Focus with Power Play Days
In today's fast-paced software development world, finding uninterrupted time to concentrate on deep, meaningful work can be a challenge. Meetings, daily tasks, and constant communication often leave little room for the focused efforts needed to complete unfinished projects, delve into new technologies, or develop skills. Recognizing this, we introduced a concept called Power Play Days (PPDs), designed to provide just that opportunity.
The Origin of Power Play Days
The idea of PPDs emerged from the introduction of unlimited PTO. Initially, it seemed like a dream come true: employees could take a day off whenever needed. It would be a rare occasion, at best, that anyone would use this time for anything work-related. That's when the concept evolved—what if we could take a day off from our regular activities, not to rest, but to focus intensively on work that requires deep concentration and uninterrupted effort? You know, that thing we've been wanting to get started, get done, or try, or experiment with but there just aren't enough hours in the day! Maybe it would be that one thing that could make a big difference!
What Are Power Play Days?
PPDs are special days where employees can step away from their usual duties and meetings to focus on tasks that need dedicated attention. This could be anything from completing unfinished work, conducting deep research, exploring new ideas, or developing skills in new technologies. Each employee is entitled to one PPD per month, which doesn’t roll over to the next and isn't convert into compensation if not used.
Why Power Play Days Matter
- Uninterrupted Focus: PPDs allow for deep concentration without the typical interruptions of the workday. This focused time is crucial for tasks requiring extensive thought and problem-solving.
- Skill Development: It's an opportunity to invest in personal and professional growth by learning new technologies, languages, or soft skills that can enhance your capabilities as a software engineer.
- Innovation and Exploration: PPDs provide the space to explore new ideas and conduct proof of concepts (POCs) that aren't part of the current development plans, fostering innovation.
- Product Familiarization: Spending time learning the ins and outs of our products can lead to better understanding and, ultimately, better contributions to its development and improvement.
The Power Play Day Experience
To illustrate the impact of PPDs, let me share an example from one of my teams. They organized a two-day hackathon, strategically booking the last day of one month and the first day of the next as PPDs. This dedicated, focused time allowed them to complete a couple POCs that had been languishing on the back burner. The outcome was exhilarating for me -- and hopefully for everyone involved. One of the POCs provided insights that are now part of our development roadmap and will soon be in production. Although the other POC didn't lead to immediate development, it offered valuable information that may guide future projects.
Challenges and Adoption
Despite the clear potential benefits, the adoption of PPDs has been slow. The main reasons include insufficient promotion and the fact that it's really difficult to taka a day away from regular work and meetings. There is usually a fair bit to get caught up on afterward. Even I don't take a PPD every month. However, when I do, it's with a clear purpose and objective in mind, ensuring the time is well spent.
Encouraging Adoption
For PPDs to truly benefit our organization, they need to be better advertised and promoted. Managers should encourage their teams to take advantage of these days, and employees should plan for them, treating them as an integral part of their work routine. I need to tell the story of Power Play Days better.
Power Play Days offer a unique opportunity to break away from the daily grind and focus on what truly matters—whether it's completing a lingering task, diving into deep work, or exploring new ideas. By embracing PPDs, we can foster innovation, enhance our skills, and ultimately drive our projects and careers forward. So, let's make the most of these days, planning them with intent and purpose, to achieve the extraordinary.
Your turn: How will you use your next Power Play Day?
