As all members of the Axco team are working from home, we wanted to share how we’ve been rising to the challenges of life in quarantine. Thankfully for us, Axco is able to operate without obstruction even in these difficult times and business continues as usual. We’re even releasing brand new developments of our products during this time.

So, how are we dealing with WFH life? I answered seven quickfire questions to let the people know. Here are my Home Truths…

Tell us about yourself…

As a knowledge area specialist, I am a key contributor to Axco's employee benefits team and our Employee Benefits Report and Insight EB offerings. This August, I'll celebrate 12 years at Axco.

I'm a permanent WFH'er so much of the COVID-19 remote working is BAU for me. What's not BAU is 'learning from home' with my three children and their daily timetabled lessons. 

How have you overcome the challenges of working in quarantine?

Our team workflow processes make us a symbiotic bunch so it was important to offer extra support to the team members that are not ordinarily WFH'ers - we've done this by concluding each week with a team meeting in which discussions invariably go beyond shop-talk.

Our school day starts with daily exercise sessions and (in a first for me) I've joined our colleague-wide fitness challenge (I was cornered at a weak moment). Combining the two means we spend the morning doing something healthy as a family: walking, working out or cycling. We've actually ridden some 90km in May.

Additionally, I'd be painting an incomplete picture if I failed to acknowledge the support of Axco and my team as regards to workflow management, meeting schedules and support in general. We've established a mental health buddy system that I've also joined; I'm linked with a colleague and we reach out to each other about this and that. While cycling contributes to good physical and emotional health, this buddy system contributes to good mental health.

Do you have any working from home hacks?

I'm aware that the standard advice is to separate life from work; to set firm boundaries. This doesn't work for me, and especially not during COVID-19 'learning from home'. Rather, I set out a to-do list of work with target completion dates. Other matters invariably arise and so flexibility and (self) forgiveness is critical - as is open and honest communication with you 'life' and 'work' people. 

Best quarantine snack?

Anything (vegetarian) that I don't have to prepare, cook or clean up after (usually the pistachios I keep on my dining table - that I prepare and clean up...).   

How is your step count looking?

I'm not a 'fitness for fitness' sake' type and I've never used a step-counting device - but I've always loved cycling. I'm into mountain biking but with a succession of young learner cyclists in recent years we're riding hills instead: our elevation gain during May was just under 600m.

My new obsession is…

Taking my morning coffee in a sunny spot in my garden while listening to the abundant birdlife (instead of vehicles). And teaching my 4-year-old to cycle to so we can hit the mountains again. 

And finally, what are you most looking forward to?

I hope to enjoy a post-COVID-19 lockdown world where more people see that the most important things in life are not things at all.  

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