Working Remotely During a Pandemic

For those of us who work in a traditional office environment, who would have thought back in February that as the holiday season rolls around you would find yourself working remotely full time and dealing with the personal and professional challenges associated with a pandemic?

Not me, that’s for sure. Fortunately, I have a job that can be done remotely and work at a company that is fully supportive, which I recognize is not the case for everyone. Similarly, I consider myself lucky that I’m not dealing with challenges others face—in particular, having school-age children at home trying to get an education while you’re trying to work. Still—it’s hard, right? Here are some thoughts for working in this environment:

Support flexibility and balance. There’s a lot going on in everyone’s lives. Understand there may be disruptions or background noise during virtual meetings; use these as an opportunity to build new personal connections with your colleagues. Support your colleagues when they need to adjust their schedules to accommodate family and personal commitments.

Set boundaries. In this environment, it’s easy to fall into working all day every day. Resist that urge. Do your best to practice self-discipline and keep your personal routines. Take breaks throughout the day, and stick to clear start and end times of your workday. Resist the urge to respond to emails after hours (set delays, if necessary, to take the pressure off your team).

Try new tools and practices. Check out technologies such as Microsoft Teams or OneNote. I, for one, was a big “paper person” with files of hard copies and notes. Now I’m “all OneNote.” Avoid scheduling back-to-back meetings, and aim for shorter and less-frequent meetings when possible. Do you really need an hour, or can you accomplish that in 45 minutes (or better yet, 30)?

You do you. Prioritize your health: Take breaks, exercise, stretch, sleep, take a “staycation”—whatever you need to remain energized and productive.

Stay connected. Check in on others (respecting privacy, of course) with a simple “Hey, how are you doing?” Find other opportunities to connect: Zoom lunches or happy hours, or just a chat. It helps.

As always, your Penn State family is here if you’d like to connect. Check us out—the Eberly College of Science Alumni Society.

Donna Marron

Alumni Board Member

‘87 B.S. Biology

Director, Compliance Officer

Merck & Co., Inc.