In the past week so much has changed at Danica and throughout the whole world. HR had casually asked the week before about the staff’s ability to work from home but then over a weekend, everything shifted with a mandate from the government to stay home.

Working remotely and from home is part of the routine for many designers and something I’ve thought about doing in the future. I love to travel and would want to work from anywhere but suddenly being thrown into a new routine was certainly an adjustment. 

As mentioned last week I love the office culture at Danica and being able to easily ask for feedback, so losing the structure of the office and joy in seeing everyone was the hardest part. We’re so lucky that we have so many means for communication and we’ve continued to use basecamp to discuss projects but now are also using Zoom for video meetings and Slack for back and forth conversations. I am glad we are now using Slack, I was used to using it in other workplaces and can be great if I just need to ask something quickly but don’t want to interrupt someone for the 10th time. 

The biggest thing I am admittedly struggling with is time management and motivation. I really pride myself on my focus in office but that has changed since being home. I therefore tried to pinpoint what exactly makes me focus at work. 

1. Accountability: Working with others who are focused and who may check up on me keeps me focused on work.
2. Deadlines: I know the workday ends at 5 so if there’s something I need feedback on I have to get it done before.
3. Structured Environment: I have a routine where I wake up early, get dressed, commute, say hi to everyone, make a coffee, check my email, sit at my desk and get to work, take a break, work, get feedback etc.

I’m missing these things at home, the day is less structured and hours seem to go quickly and I’ll end up working into the evening. There’s no one to keep me on task and I often work on the couch in my pajamas. But I’m not satisfied with myself so I decided to fix that. My roommate Sydney is also doing her practicum from home so we are keeping each other accountable and setting timers to stay on track. I make myself a task list each day and I finally cleared my desk to make a productive workspace. 

I’m still adjusting but in the long term, this may prove to be the most valuable experience because it is teaching me time management skills and maybe preparing me for working remotely in the future.