WFH diary: A jet-setter makes the most of being grounded

My office in Singapore is normally constantly buzzing with activity; people are brainstorming, working through media plans, revising concepts, getting coffee and playing rock music. There is no "typical day" at VaynerMedia. I usually get into the office around 8:30 am; even though I am an early bird, somehow, someone nearly always beats me into the office. My days are usually filled with creative and media reviews; operations reporting, team sessions and client meetings. I typically head out around 7, just before dinner.

My WFH situation in comparison, is far more quiet and calm; though I still do play music to keep up the energy. Recently my days have become filled with virtual sessions and video calls. In an interesting way, this situation has also brought our global team closer together than ever. With so many of us working from home, we're even more connected virtually than normal.

Working from home, with a view

At home, my husband is my new "office buddy," which is fun but also a lot of togetherness! We both frequently travel for business, so having us both in one place for several weeks is unusual, and we're taking the opportunity to be thankful for (a lot of) uninterrupted time together. We don't have any kids or pets yet, but I am getting some extra time to care for my plant babies. They are getting a lot of TLC.

Dedicated time for my plants

Luckily, I have a separate work space, which is helpful to keep focused. But I am hindered by my close proximity to my kitchen, and I feel my snack intake has doubled since WFH began!

Despite the distractions from my larder and plants, here's what a typical WFH day looks like: 

• 7 am - Quick Global Leadership call to check in with counterparts from NYC.
• Gym break and coffee No. 1.
• 10 am - Team virtual standup: We have a full virtual team meeting to check in with everyone, and maintain a sense of togetherness; this is where we go through any updates and chat through how everyone is doing.
• 12 pm - Creative review: Though we may not all be together, we're mastering the art of digital reviews and feedback.
• 3 pm - Client video call: Hop on a video call for a weekly client session. Since the client team is also WFH, we are figuring out the "new normal" together.
• 5 pm - Client contingency session: We've had a number of campaign changes, and we're agile in revising plans to fit what is appropriate in the current climate. This means we're moving physical events to digital, revising concepts to be sensitive, and more. Our clients are our partners in all of this, and we work together to adapt plans.
• 6 pm - Sign off for the day, and get ready to do it all again tomorrow. One great thing about WFH? No commute :)

With no commute, good time to instead focus on my fitness

Avery Akkineni is the APAC head of VaynerMedia.