Date: Wednesday, March 25, 2020
Category: Apra News
On Monday, March 23, Apra members joined Beth Inman (JDRF International), Lindsey Nadeau (UNICEF USA), Audrey Geoffroy (University of Florida), and Mallory Lass (University of California, Berkeley) to exchange tips and tricks for working remotely in uncertain times. This Twitter Chat (#aprachats) reached nearly 15,000 accounts with 138 tweets. Catch a glimpse of the highlights from this discussion below!
Stay Productive:
- Missing multiple monitors? Try Alt + Tab (Command + Tab on a Mac) to cycle through applications on your computer. This function can make transitioning to a laptop from widescreen or multiple screens a bit more comfortable.
- Use music or podcasts to focus your space! Try one of the suggestions from the list of resources at the end of this post.
Stay Supportive:
- Continue to support your fundraisers remotely by communicating and managing expectations together. "Same partnership applies- just different tools for some pieces."
- Use video calls and screen sharing instead of email.
Stay Team-Oriented:
- Try one of the following tools to keep your team on the same page:
- Asana, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, OneDrive, HarvestTime, Basecamp, Slack
- Share calendars to keep availability transparent.
- Rule of Thumb: If more than three messages are exchanged in a thread, pick up the phone.
Stay Proactive:
- If you find yourself with downtime when you are unable to meet with clients or fundraisers, invest time in prospecting, data auditing/cleanup, tracking economic and philanthropic needs, and updating process documents.
- Continue doing prospect development. Once travel begins again, you will have thorough lists prepared. Plan for the long term!
Stay Connected:
- Have virtual lunches, happy hours, and coffee breaks.
- Use your webcam.
- Reach out to check-in as well as share personal updates- pet photos, family stories, a “question of the day”- to humanize separation and close the social gap.
Stay Active:
- Add structure to your day by committing to at-home workouts. Try keeping equipment (like a yoga mat) near your workspace to hold yourself accountable to a routine. Block it off on your calendar if it helps!
- Start a group chat, and motivate each other to stay active. Small ways count!
Links and Resources:
How-to Guides
Conference Call services and tips
Tweet Threads
Virtual Social Hours
Playlist Suggestions
Podcasts
Search #aprachats to read more about how to make working remotely work for you. Stay tuned to @Apra_HQ for future Twitter Chats.