Work Wrecking Weather

Last week’s “Frankenstorm” Sandy pounded the Northeast corridor with inclement weather. Businesses closed with large disruption to normal workdays.

Unfortunately, disasters are no unusual phenomenon.

Women who worked from home during Sandy shared their tips for staying connected to the office, keeping kids occupied, and what toaster pastries to stock up on, so you can be prepared for anything, anytime.

“If you need to communicate in real-time with coworkers, use text and IM. Don’t sweat it if everything doesn’t get done, the work will still be there tomorrow,” says Liz O’Donnell, founder of Hello Ladies, in Boston.

Send out an update each morning to clients letting them know where things stand, adds Christine Agro, owner of Conscious Living Unlimited, LLC. This is especially important if you have global clients who may not know if you’re working through the storm.

“I have two charged laptops and an extra phone battery. I also filled my gas tank and have a phone charger in my car in case I need it,” says ultra-prepared, Cassandra Carpio, director at Hundred Stories PR, who worked from her New York home, last week.

Maggie Edinger, account executive at Hill and Knowlton Strategies, recommends using a Wi-Fi hotspot, so if there’s a power outage, you won’t be forced off the grid. “And stockpile Pop Tarts. I bought a box for Hurricane Irene and I still have 90 percent of it left, so I was set for Sandy.”

Lastly, inform colleagues and clients if your kids are home so they won’t be surprised to hear noise on a call, or if you can’t respond as quickly. “Have activities planned for your kids – movies, games, books – that can keep them busy,” says Aimee Yoon, co-founder of Dotted Line Communications in New York.

Bonus PINK Link: Here’s an idea – use your day at home for a digital detox!

How did you continue working while Sandy stormed the East Coast?

By Carmen Harbour

“Tis the set of the sail that decides the goal, not the storm of life.” Ella Wheeler Wilcox