AdNews brings the stories of those working from home (WFH) in the advertising and media industry during the coronavirus crisis.
Paige Owen is account manager - seller at Rubicon Project.
How are you dealing with the silence?
I went into this WFH experience thinking I’d be really well equipped to handle the potential silence, as I used to work from home when I first moved to New York in 2016 (I then moved to Australia in 2018). However in NYC, I could mix it up by working at cafes and had the added bonus of my social life being unaffected.
During the current situation, I find it very tough being at home all day, so I fill my space with music. I currently have one of my favourite artists, Irish alternative singer Dermont Kennedy, on repeat. I’m also exploring new ways to keep in touch with my friends and family. One of my absolute favourites so far is an app called Marco Polo that allows you to record a video message and send it to someone who then (hopefully) replies. It’s a bit like old school letter writing except using video messages. The app works really well when your correspondents are based around the world in different time zones and all the videos are retained so you can go back through them and re-watch.
What’s the upside?
The obvious upside to WFH is that there are no distractions so I’m able to be super-efficient, which is nice because I’m busier than ever supporting our sellers. I’d very much love to have the chance to engage in face-to-face meetings with our clients and team to share all the news, but I’ve probably managed to fit in far more meetings with the use of virtual catch ups.
I’m also loving the daily lunch-and-learn hangouts with the Rubicon Project team. We’ve been focused on building our understanding of Telaria and its products (and vice versa), as our companies recently completed our merger on April 1. I’ve also hosted meet-and-greet drinks with the ANZ Telaria team to get to know them better and I’m enjoying coffee (and happy hour) drinks with my clients.
The other upside is that I’m saving money, with eating at home and not dining out at restaurants. There’s an important learning there for me. Unfortunately, this savings probably balances out because I have found myself spending more money decorating my house. I’ve lived pretty nomadically since college and it’s been really fun to settle into my space a bit - thanks to this stay at home and WFH, Australia now feels a lot more like home.
The downside?
I love talking to people and while I’m connecting lots online, video calls are not my favourite! I much prefer in person interaction. Without the office banter and the regular kitchen catch-ups at the office, I often forget to leave my little home office area. I’ve found I have to schedule in 15-20 minute breaks every few hours just to make sure I get up and walk around the block or something.
How are you using the commuting time saved?
I’m starting my work day earlier, but also taking the time to make a nice breakfast. I’m also making an effort to get in a workout on my stationary bike or in my yoga/pilates area in the corner of my WFH office.
I am looking forward to being back in the office because…
I miss my coworkers. It’s cheesy, but I love them. I’m also looking forward to having someplace different to go as it breaks up the day. Oh – and perhaps the most important thing – I miss the office snack cupboard...salt and vinegar chips are my weakness. For some odd reason, I am happy to eat them at the office even though I feel guilty buying them for home. Maybe this WFH experience will help me break my chips addiction.
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