One of the best parts about interning is being able to work in the office with industry professionals who dedicate their time to educate me. Burkhart’s atmosphere inspires me to be creative, and also productive. I love working in the office, however, the Coronavirus had other plans for me. The widespread pandemic left me with no choice but to work from home. 

Parts of my schedule have somewhat changed since the beginning of the pandemic, but some have still remained the same. Take a look at what my schedules looked like before and after the pandemic hit.

A Typical Day in the Office Before Coronavirus

1. It’s 11 a.m., and I arrive with a Venti White Chocolate Mocha Triple Shot from Starbucks in hand.
   
2. I walk in and greet our lovely receptionist Erin along with the rest of the team.
   
3. I venture over to my workspace where I say “Good morning!” to my fellow interns, and we chat for a bit about what’s happened since we last saw one another.
4. Now it’s time to get down to business. I open our instant messaging app, Microsoft Teams to read any important messages from my colleagues, and then I check my email.
5. After I’ve sorted through my messages, I move on to my task list for the day on Asana. All tasks are sorted by importance and are to be checked off once completed. If I have questions, I grab my laptop and head down to Hope’s office where she is happy to help.
6. The majority of my day is spent blog writing and brainstorming ideas for Burkhart’s social media accounts.
7. I feel my stomach growl which tells me I need some fuel. Is it lunchtime already? I reach for my purse and it’s off to lunch for me. Qdoba is usually what’s on the menu for me because Burkhart’s location is so convenient, but sometimes I head downtown for a bite to eat (preferably The Eagle).
8. I return from lunch. The last hour of my day is spent working on revisions and completing the tasks that remain.
9. My work day is over, so time to hurry home before I get stuck in rush-hour traffic. I close my laptop and gather my things, and I say a quick goodbye to the office – off I go!

A Typical Day Working from Home Due to the Coronavirus

1. It’s 9 a.m. and the alarm on my iPhone sings a generic tune to tell me it’s time to wake up.
2. Coffee time! I plug in my Keurig, and while waiting on my morning fuel to brew, I check my social media notifications.
3. After I’m done with my coffee, it’s time to exercise. Social isolation has forced me to find other ways to stay entertained. I connect YouTube to my TV and mimic my favorite fitness gurus’ workout routines.
4. Around 10:30, I open my laptop and prepare for the workday. I start by opening all of the necessities: Microsoft Teams, Asana, AirTable and Google Drive. Some days I like to start early to get ahead on tasks for the day. 
5. Working from home has made communication more important. I use the Teams app more frequently than before, as I am not able to communicate in person.
6. I check off tasks and send my colleagues drafts of my work to check for any edits.
7. 1 p.m. hits, so I take my lunch break despite the fact that I can’t eat at The Eagle. I venture to the kitchen to make soup or a sandwich and then take my lunch to the living room where I then turn on Netflix.
8. When lunch is over, I need a second wind, so I make another cup of coffee.
9. I move my office from the living room to the kitchen table.
10. If I have a question about a task I was given, I call my colleague to see if she can help, and then I end the call and get back to work.
11. My tasks are completed, and I have extra time on my hands. I enter our Database and begin to reformat documents in excel.
12. My work day is over, so I update my colleague with an “End of Day Report” which requires me to outline what I’ve accomplished for the day. If everything is satisfactory, I log off of my computer, head to the living room and hang out with my family. 

All in all, working from home has been an interesting experience. There are pros and cons. I consider myself lucky for the opportunity to learn from the comfort and safety of my home. 

Is your business taking a hard hit from the Coronavirus? Check-in with us to see how we can help get you back on your feet. We’re all in this together!