Like so many workers across the country right now, ASI employees have been working from home for the last week, as the nation tries to flatten the curve and stem the tide of new COVID-19 cases. For some of us, it’s a brave new world of work, but even for the pajama-clad professionals, this week has brought new wrinkles, whether in the form of rowdy neighbors, insufficiently enriched children or disdainful and demanding pets.

We asked members of ASI’s creative teams to share their biggest challenges this week as well as their most helpful tips for staying on task.

Emma O’Sullivan, Manager of Branded Content

Biggest Challenge: To be completely honest, my greatest challenge is not eating all my self-distancing snacks immediately. The kitchen is just TOO close, and no one is around to judge me.

Best Tip: Keep your routine as much as possible. Make your bed, get ready for the day, stay active (at-home workouts on YouTube are free and super-accessible, even if you have no equipment). As tempting as it is to live in the same pair of PJs for a week straight, keeping my regular routine has made this feel much more normal and helps keep my anxiety in check.

Dee Iavecchia, Team Lead, Advertising/Marketing Services Coordinator, Production and Advertising

Biggest Challenge: Being too close to the fridge!

Best Tip: I keep the television off all day, but my music playing, so I can get up and dance around like a fool when a song moves me.

Jessica Dixon, Senior Graphic Designer, Creative Labs

Biggest Challenge: Trying not to work all the time. I try to take breaks and not work my evenings away. It can be hard to turn “work mode” off.

Best Tip: Stop and take a walk, get some fresh air and try not to think about work. Just force yourself to take a break, even if it’s to get a snack.

Nathaniel Kuscma, Executive Director, Research and Corporate Marketing

Biggest Challenge: My office mate thinking that every time I get up we’re going for a walk. All kidding aside though, the biggest challenge has definitely been the semi-isolation. I enjoy the energy from an office environment and I miss that. Microsoft Teams may actually work well and force me into the 21st century.

Best Tip: Set an agenda every day. I’ve found I can be extraordinarily productive in short spurts because there are no distractions like in an office environment. The trick is finding ways to get motivated when I lose focus – which will take a bit of effort. 

Becky Young, Senior Web Designer

Biggest Challenge: Managing a full-time work-from-home schedule with two young kids at home. With schools closed, there’s added pressure to keep up with their academics (at least on some level), make sure they stay active and limit their screen time. On top of that, we’re “social distancing,” so I’m not able to rely on my family members who routinely help out with the kids. This impossible juggling act is taking a toll on my mental health, for sure. The least stressful part of the day is when I’m cranking out work.

Best Tip: I’ve been getting up early and doing a little work before the kids wake up. That helps give me a head start on the day, so when they do wake up, I can take a break and focus on just being a mom for a little bit, before jumping back into work. I know this situation is temporary, and it’s the responsible thing to do for everyone’s sake. I’m grateful for the extra time with the kids, the nice weather (family walks have been a lifesaver!) and the ability to continue working remotely, as I know some people don’t have that luxury.

Elizabeth Italia, Executive Director, Marketing Content

Biggest challenge: I love working from home. The only obstacle is I miss my second monitor.

Best Tip: Don’t get obsessive with check-ins with other people because it distracts from work. You don’t need more meetings just because you aren’t in the office. You don’t need to go beyond a daily, “Hi. How are you? Do you need anything?”

John Corrigan, Senior Writer, Editorial

Biggest Challenge: Dealing with these crazy people who claim to be my family.

Best Tip: Get some fresh air. Whether it’s grabbing lunch or just walking around the neighborhood, escaping this madness for at least 20 minutes has been helpful.

Tricia Walter, Manager of Corporate Events

Biggest Challenge: Not being distracted by what’s happening in my neighborhood. My work-from-home “office” space is set up in one of our spare bedrooms, right by a window. Living in Philly, houses are close together, and you can hear when your neighbors are yelling. It’s hard not to peek outside the window to see what is going on! I’ve starting using earbuds to block that outside sound out with music. One other challenge is my cats seem to think they are helping me by taking turns jumping on the desk and walking across my laptop.

Best Tip: Try to stick to a normal routine. Shower in the morning and get dressed as if you’re heading into the office. Remember to be grateful we’re able to work from home. So many other don’t have that luxury. Doctors, nurses, police officers, firefighters and EMTs can’t work from home and are often dealing with sick people on a daily basis.

Sara Lavenduski, Senior Editor, Advantages

Biggest Challenge: Minimizing distractions and staying focused. In my cubicle at ASI, it’s all work, and the interaction with my peers helps to keep the momentum moving forward. But at home, there are chores and projects that could be done, and it takes a conscious effort to maintain concentration on the task at hand.

Best Tip: Step away for just 10 minutes every once in a while, especially when the bad news is coming in furiously. I turn my phone over, walk away from my desk and read something, like a book or magazine, that has absolutely nothing to do with coronavirus.

Stephanie Turner-Scott, Director, Corporate Marketing

Biggest Challenge: Snacking every 30 minutes, since my home office is close to the kitchen. When I get up to walk or stretch, I end up in the kitchen.

Best Tip: I’ve used this time to organize my files and emails – archiving, putting specific message into online folders and purging.

Jake Krolick, Executive Creative Director and Video Director

Biggest Challenge: As humans we have a need to connect and see each other face to face. Not being able to do that is the hardest thing. I love MS Teams because it’s easy to keep connected and it will help greatly in the next weeks ahead.

Best Tip: Take breaks, exercise, video chat, make a list of what you can accomplish and try to stick with it, drink water, call people – don’t just email.

C.J. Mittica, Editor-in-Chief, Counselor and Advantages

Biggest Challenge: Editing this piece while children throw beach balls at my head.

Best Tip: Lock said children outside the house.

Dawn Shurmaitis, Public Relations and Corporate Communications Director

Biggest Challenge: I’m used to working from home two days a week, but also to having all office resources available within a day or so for any unexpected tech or connection issues. Our Helpdesk is awesome, but I miss having them in my office, showing me a fix in person. I also miss the exercise I used to get walking over to people’s cubes and offices for quick chats about pressing issues. We work in a big building, and it was great to run into people in the halls – saved me a lot of emails.   

Best Tip: It’s easy to start working and go nonstop for hours when you have no distractions – colleagues stopping by, calls, in-person meetings, running for coffee and, yes, the occasional hallway chat about the latest episode of “This is Us.” I look up, and it’s 2:30, and I realize I didn’t stop for lunch. Hmmm. Maybe that explains the 5 pounds I’ve lost! I’m trying to get back to my usual office routine, with breaks for food and a walk.