As of Thursday morning, Philadelphia is in the midst of its top five snowiest winters of all-time. As witness to a record-setting snowfall of more than 49 inches in one season (with more still to come), we at Buchanan PR have become experts at working from home during a storm.
Here are 5 ways to survive a snow day – and keep your sanity – while working remotely:
- Be prepared. On a typical day, we don’t all bring our laptops home. But this winter, we have had to pay special attention to the weather forecasts and prepare accordingly. This means regularly bringing all necessary materials home when we anticipate being out the next day.
- Communication, both internal and external. It seems like a no-brainer, but when working from home, we don’t have the luxury of being able to walk down the hall or buzz each other on the phone. It’s important for us to relay messages to each other and to our clients via email or instant messenger, and to keep our cell phones nearby should we need to make or answer a phone call.
- Take a break. It’s easy to get cabin fever when sitting at home with nowhere to go. Whether going outside to shovel the snow or getting up for a fresh cup of tea or hot chocolate, it’s okay to step away from the computer screen for a little while.
- Be comfortable. As long as you don’t allow lounging in your pajamas to distract from your professionalism while working, it’s okay to be comfortable. It’s not every day that you get to hammer out a press release while hunkering down – makeup-free, ladies – in your Lion King leggings and slippers.
- But not too comfortable. Remember that although in the comfort of your own home, you are still a professional representing your company and your clients. Don’t take too many breaks, and don’t allow the distractions of being home take away from your normal productivity. Instead, take advantage of the rarity of a quiet workspace and check off those big writing projects on your to-do list.
Bonus: Try your best not to eat yourself out of house and home. Is it just me, or does being home surrounded by delicious food turn you into the abominable snowman when it comes to snacking? Remember, there might still be another snow (work) day tomorrow. So save some room…