Like many of our clients and partners across the United States, DH has transitioned entirely to remote work since the onset of physical distancing. The safety and health of our team and clients always comes first, but we’re grateful to have the infrastructure and tools to continue collaborating and producing urgent work for our clients without missing a beat.
Having said that, this new reality is not without its inherent challenges for any team working in extended isolation. (Parents can only hear Frozen 2 in the background so many times before they’re ready to venture into the unknown themselves.)
We asked DHers what they’ve learned so far about working from home and what they’re doing to keep sane and productive. Our team came up with 10 ideas for working remotely, offering a look directly into the lives of DHers at home.
Dress for success (quarantine-style).
Dressing up for zoom calls can make all the difference in how you feel. A scarf over a sweatshirt is a great strategy and changing into your “fancy” slippers can fuel your presentation mojo.
Michelle Hege, CEO
Be transparent.
work with the space you have.
I am stuck in a tiny space so my tip would be to get a desk if you can! And get outside at least once a day for some exercise! I have been running on the centennial trail. Thankful we are experiencing relatively nice weather.
Annie Blake-Burke, Senior Account Executive
Break it up.
My tip for working from home is breaking up work by taking little breaks to pause the momentum/compulsion of working. In the office, you switch conference rooms, pass people in the hall, little moments that let you return to yourself and take a pause. I was struggling with that the first part of last week, just flowing from work project to work project, Zoom call to Zoom call, that I felt exhausted. I am trying to work in little “breaks” to give my brain a little space to reorient before diving into the next thing.
Jessica Wade, VP of Client Services
Find ways to connect about non-work things.
I like to check in with co-workers to see how life is going and talk about our weekends or plans or families – things we would talk about when in the office. This point of connection is something I miss the most when working from home. I use Slack, phone, text, etc. to keep in touch, whatever.
Linda Jones, Associate Creative Director
Embrace your inner rgb and get moving.
find personal space.
Working in the same house for the past 3-4 weeks with a significant other and a 100lb German Shepherd means there is no personal space, and you make do with what you have. Converting the dining table to a second office is the key to a successful workday quarantine!”
Katie Haslebacher, Account Executive
Set a schedule for the kiddos.
Set up your kid-coworkers for success.
Have a wide variety of activities she can do on her own: craft projects, video games, educational games/programs, streaming programs, etc. And then setting regular breaks to spend time with her whenever I can.
Jenn Fanto, Senior Production Manager
recognize we’re closer than we seem.
