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The pandemic has made one thing certain: Working from home is the new normal. According to Stanford research, 42% of the U.S. labor force is now working from home full-time. And a lot of
major companies — like REI, Google, and Zillow — don’t plan on bringing their employees back anytime soon. Here in the Capital Region, there’s a mix for sure. For some, the Northway is still
an everyday route to and from the office. For the rest of us though, our commute has consisted of a short, often pajama-clad walk from the bedroom to the study downstairs — and while the
traffic may be nonexistent, there’s still a slew of roadblocks that can make being productive (and happy) an ongoing struggle. Article continues below this ad Part of the latter group? Take
a look at how it’s been going for some of your fellow working women in the area: how they’re making the most of it, how they’re separating work from life, and in some cases, why they
actually prefer it. TAKING BREAKS, MOVING YOUR BODY “I started working from home mid-March, and so did my husband. Neither of us were prepared. If I had to give advice to another woman
working from home, this is what I would say works for me: I get up every day and change out of my pajamas and into my daytime comfy clothes. This helps get me into work mode. I also set up
my desk in a separate space in the house, where my kids and husband don’t hang out! When I’m at my desk, everyone knows I’m working as opposed to when I try to work from the kitchen counter.
And most importantly, I take breaks in my day to go for a walk or do a workout. Working from home means I’m moving my body less, so this helps me physically but also mentally. It took a bit
to adjust to work from home life, but I really enjoy it now!” Article continues below this ad - _Marissa Nitto, Manager, CDPHP _ FILLING THE VOID “How I’ve managed working from home:
Training myself to accept this new reality and make the best of the situation. Finding the silver linings has really helped me, which can be hard to do especially when I see so many people
and businesses in the community struggling. As a go-go-go person with a constantly full calendar, it has been nice to just sit home and relax. Although I miss seeing my family, friends,
colleagues and clients as often as before, I’m not mad that there were 10 Saturdays this summer with absolutely nothing on the calendar. Phone calls (not just texting), Teams and Zooms have
really helped fill the void of less human interaction. I’ve really become used to hopping on Teams or Zoom instead of trying to explain things through email to keep that interaction alive
and help with productivity. _- Amy L. Ethier, Senior Tax Associate, Marvin and Company, P.C. _ Article continues below this ad KEEPING THE BALANCE “Working from home has changed my entire
life. I went from traveling overnight at least once a week (most times, more) to permanently being in my home dealing with a full-time job plus my husband and two young boys. Although rough
at first, I found that establishing a routine was the key; I’ve always been an early bird, so checking through emails at 5:30 a.m. with my coffee before they got up for the day worked for
me, then setting aside 7:30-8:30 a.m. for breakfast and homework before the day of meetings. I find that the best way to ‘turn off’ is to keep my laptop in my office space, rather than let
it float around into different rooms in my house. When the day is done, I close the computer and leave that room, setting the intention that I will be back in that room the next day to start
another day of work. “Talking walks with the kids or cooking a good meal when the day is through also relaxes me and sets me apart from work, but you need to understand what your relaxation
is and do that for yourself when the day is done. I think as a mom we all naturally feel guilty or fear disappointment — like not answering that email at 6:30 p.m. on a Sunday is going to
make it look like you care less or aren’t a hard worker. So not the case! Even though you’re working from home, you have to make time for your family to keep that balance. Not only does that
make me feel like a better mother and parent, it makes me feel like a better employee and manager too.” _- Lauren Herrington, Vice President, Creative Communication Associates_ Article
continues below this ad ACCEPTING HELP AND SEEING THE BRIGHT SIDE _“For us, we have all hands on deck and everyone has their role. I’m relying on my village right now and that includes my
husband, mom, sister, my ex-husband, and _his wife. I can’t do this all on my own. The other thing that is helping me is my mindset. I can choose whether or not I want to be stressed over
this situation. Yes, I’m working in the same room as my 6-year-old, while he attends school remotely. Do I experience distractions? Of course. But let’s not forget how equally distracting it
was to work in an office. People walking by, people at the microwave, people on the phone, people meeting, and talking with one another all around me. If I could work perfectly fine in that
environment, I can work at home too. “I’d much rather hear my son learn, grow, and make friends behind me than listen to the noises of 10 other people in the office (even though I do love
and miss my co-workers). I love being able to see my 5-month-old at lunch as opposed to not seeing him at all if I were having to report in-person. There is always good with the bad and bad
with the good!” Article continues below this ad _- Anne DelVecchio, Research Scientist_