The question keeps popping up: should I lower my rates now? While we would like to be able to offer a succinct answer, the truth is, like so many things: it’s complicated. To drill down to the best way to frame the question for you, I interviewed three leading Creative Circle superstar recruiters — two on the record, one off. Check out what these experts had to say.

Shannon Robinson — Senior Recruiter, Los Angeles Office

Shannon was full of vim and vigor and had a lot to say about the topic. Her take on this issue is the same for freelancers, permalancers, and full-timers — and marches stridently in one direction — can you guess what that might be?

Flexibility is a must.

Agencies live and die by their clients — we’re going to see a lot of agencies closing down. And they’re not coming back. It’s going to be a client market 150%, so this is what I’m saying to candidates: there are fewer positions, there are other superstars out there — so right now you have to be f l e x i b l e. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. Being flexible is not an indicator of your worth — it’s a sign that you have to ebb and flow with the market — and a hungry market demands flexibility.

You have to make it to tomorrow to make it to next week.

One step at a time. One day at a time. Yes, it may not be the rate you were targeting, but you have to make the best decision with what is in front of you now. Take the opportunity. Move forward. You have to be able to pay for your life today in order to be around for tomorrow.

Sometimes it’s as much about the opportunity as it is about the money.

You don’t know what the opportunity might become. If you do a great job once you’re in, you may be able to grow your role and move up internally. It’s smart to start creative buzz for yourself in the marketplace, not on LinkedIn.

Yes, money — but you have to have those benefits.

If you’re on the wrong side of the benefits game, it can break you. In an unsure market, the best you can do is to have the benefit of corporate benefits on your side. Full-time work is where it’s at if you get the opportunity (see above). Remember that doing freelance work with Creative Circle can also position you for benefits eligibility! In these unstable times, gaining a semblance of stability is king and queen.

Being employed during this pandemic is a good story. Your narrative matters.

It’s a much more compelling story to say that you were employed during the pandemic. Your narrative matters. If there’s an opportunity that you’re a fit for — despite the compensation being less than you’re usually paid — you need to definitely move forward.

Where the work will be is changing. You want to be ready for the next chapter.

As you might suspect, the creative work landscape will not look like it did pre-COVID-19. The BIG question: where do we end up when this is all said and done? People are learning how to broadcast and produce work off-site utilizing digital production tools — and doing so more quickly and cheaply. But that doesn’t mean there won’t be opportunity, it will just be different opportunity. Someone will still need to do post-production — edit, create graphics, for example. The money will be reallocated in the next normal, and everyone needs to strategically reposition themselves to be as competitive as possible for when the market opens back up. Yes, this is going to be a challenging time — but I truly believe that when we finally come out the other side that we will come out better for it.

Senior Recruiter—New York City Office

This savvy NYC recruiter wanted to stay off the record but had many choice insights to share. With no clear black or white answers, this top recruiter gave some nuance to the factors one should consider when deciding to take a lower rate or not. With such a quick flip from a candidate market to a client one, recruiters have a significantly different job ahead to get candidates’ work. For a while, it may be a race to the bottom — but only for a bit. Pointing out that this is a very different situation than what happened in 2008, there was one lesson from that time that seems congruent: when recovery does happen, it will be strong.

Only be flexible for now.

“I can do this for $X for the next three months, but please know what my real rate is.” Communication is paramount: discuss that you are willing to work for less for a period of time. Let a client know what you are typically paid, and set a period of time after which you re-visit pay. You have to be fairly assertive and honest with your client or recruiter.

A. How long?
B. How much?
C. Who is it?
This is the rubric by which to decide whether or not to take an opportunity for less money. Length of assignment makes a difference in assessing whether you should take a lower rate or not. As well, how much of a lower rate? Is it just $10 an hour less, or significantly more? Depending on the company, you might be more (or less) willing to work for less. Everyone has their own values. Everyone has a different privilege level. But if you need a #@^&! job, benefits, stability — be flexible.

• Short assignment vs. long: length matters.
  If the job is only three weeks long, the rate matters less. For shorter-term project work, it’s a lot easier to have flexibility — and no one in the future will know that you took a lower rate. For longer-term assignments, however, setting expectations is much more significant. My advice is to not take a long-term engagement at a lower rate if you can help it — and full-time opportunities are a different story altogether.
• Is it a resume-builder?
  Are you being offered an opportunity with a fabulous company, but at a lower rate than you’d like? If it’s a resume-builder, it may be worthwhile to take the role and be flexible with the rate. Building bridges with a company that you’d love to be connected with has value beyond the “benjamins.”

Freelance vs. Full-time: NOT the same when it comes to taking a lower rate.

Here’s why: in most states, employers are legally allowed to ask what you made at your last job. And they are allowed to check to make sure that you are being honest (not being honest could be cause for the job offer to be withdrawn). Because so many women and people of color start at lower salaries, having to disclose salary history as a basis for future pay became an entrenched form of discrimination.

It was only on October 31, 2017, that a Pay History ban went into effect in New York, which made it illegal to ask a candidate what they had made previously and to base salary for the new job on what a person had made at their last one. 18 states have since followed suit, a step in the right direction toward equalizing pay between women and men, and for people of color — but one that leaves the majority of the country unprotected. Because of this, you need to check where your particular state falls when making a decision about taking a job at a lower salary. Depending on where you are, taking a lower rate may allow the market to take advantage of you going forward. If you’re in a protected state, however, you have less to lose. So if you take a “step backward” due to the pandemic, and you’re in one of the 18 states with a Pay History Ban, I might advocate for greater flexibility than if you’re in one of the 32 states that don’t have a ban.

No one size fits all.

Everyone has their own pain points. If you have a family and need security and benefits — you need to take what you can. If you have to pay the bills, you have to balance ego with practicality. It’s simple, really: do what you need to do to pay the bills.

For freelance work, remove the ego. It’s a transaction. Ask yourself: does the transaction work for you? For full-time opportunities, however, keep the ego in — it’s your life.

Jocelyn Yant—Senior Recruiter, New York City Office

Jocelyn took a mindful and considered approach to answering the question about whether or not one should lower their rates at this time. But before she dug into her feelings on the matter, she wanted to share some macro, overarching thoughts on what’s happening in the job market from her vantage point.

Here are some of Jocelyn’s macro insights into the state of work today:

• Let’s call it a slowdown.
  Some full-time job offers are still coming in — not as many — but some. The market has slowed, but there is still work. Clients are taking some time to figure out logistics, how to delegate work, best practices to migrate in-house processes to virtual ones. I am hoping to see a lift in jobs in the next few weeks as companies get their “sea legs.” We are finding that some clients are starting to offer positions as remote-for-now. When the pause stops and the economy re-opens, the job will then become an on-site role.
• Companies realizing the benefits of remote work.
  One of the positive effects of this pandemic is that with moving whole teams remote, some of our clients are realizing that there’s a benefit to having all employees work virtually. They can save millions of dollars on real estate and facility/equipment expenses.
• Virtual work opens up work opportunities to a broader swath of workers.
  Another plus: people who had been left out previously by on-site work environments, like those caring for a sick family member, can be integrated into this new era of work. It’s nice to see that this is a real possible outcome. For all the challenges that COVID has brought — and yes, there are many — I think it’s also important to talk about the positive possibilities that are opened up.

Now, let’s get to the question at hand: should you or should you not lower your rates?

In late March, when the COVID-19 pause began, we had call after call about furloughs and lay-offs. But we also had a lot of clients calling to see about hiring; however, they were negotiating rates down. Here’s my take:

• There’s a benefit to working at this time if you can. It keeps your portfolio fresh. You stay connected to the work world, and this opportunity may grow into something larger down the road.
• There are some workarounds to lower rates.
  If you are considering taking a large cut, you can do things to buffer it in the future. Communication at the outset is key. One option is to negotiate a “COVID-19 rate” that flips to a different rate post-pause. Set expectations now so that you can feel that you are advocating for yourself. By negotiating ahead of time, you can soften some of the impact.
• What happens today does not necessarily determine what happens tomorrow.
  Applying to a job that’s “below your rate” doesn’t mean you won’t get jobs at higher rates later — particularly for freelance. I am less concerned about someone being pigeonholed at a lower rate — especially for project-based work. When my candidates apply for jobs paying below their usual or target rates, I reassure them that this is for now, not necessarily for later.

There are some key factors to take into account that should be part of your decision-making around whether or not to lower your rates.

• Length of engagement
• Freelance opportunity
• Full-time opportunity
• What economic state you’re in
• Value in keeping creative juices flowing
• Value in keeping portfolio up to date
• Value in keeping a relationship with a client that may be ongoing in the future, aka the potential for future work. If you excel, you don’t know what the opportunity lead to.

Taking a lower rate for two months is different than agreeing to a lower rate for a year. Of course, if you are in a situation where you need to make money — then you should take the role, even if it pays less.

For some of us, working keeps the worry away. If you’re one of those people who fares better in uncertain times by having a task at hand, then taking a project on may have value beyond the economic.

With respect to full-time roles — most states can legally ask what you made in your last job. You may want to put some special consideration to accepting a lower rate with these types of opportunities as there could be reverberations down the line in terms of salary. It’s a matter of the economic state you’re in today impacting the financial state you’ll be in tomorrow. In short, there are many variables to consider. It’s not a cut and dry answer.

A lot of our clients DO have work that they need done. To candidates, I counsel optimism.

There are logistical hurdles as companies balance their needs against a quickly shifting landscape. I was here for 2008 in New York. The economy was in the toilet. It took NYC a year, year and a half, but the economy came roaring back stronger than ever. NYC, in particular, is aided by its diversity of industry: advertising, design agencies, finance, professional services, e-commerce, fashion, retail. The variety of opportunities across sectors will help things pick up more quickly here.

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About the author.
An award-winning creator and digital health, wellness, and lifestyle content strategist — Karina writes, edits, and produces engaging content across multiple platforms — including articles, video, interactive tools, and documentary film. Her work has been featured on MSN Lifestyle, Apartment Therapy, Goop, Psycom, Pregnancy & Newborn, Eat This Not That, thirdAGE, and Remedy Health Media digital properties. You can see more of her work at karinamargit.com.

If you’re finding yourself feeling restless and with more time on your hands, you are not alone. In the past three weeks, more than 33 million people have filed for unemployment benefits. While it may be tempting to fill your time with what feels like work — sending out job applications or refreshing your inbox (which is what I do when I feel anxious about job security) — here are some ideas and resources to help you get through this time of little certainty.

If you have more time, use it wisely.

Everyone has a hot take about whether this time should be for rest or productivity, but why do we have to choose? With less work coming in, the thoughtless mind might cling to bingeing TV, scrolling Instagram, obsessively checking the news, or constantly applying for new opportunities, but there are other ways to tune out and rest.

Media may help you escape or give you a (false) sense of control but won’t contribute to your long-term well-being. Instead, if you’re trying to take a break from work, actually rest. Take a nap. Go for a walk if that’s an option. Look out the window. Read a book, or try one of these other ways or even these other ways to check in and give your mind and body meaningful rest.

As for work time, instead of flinging resumes into the void, you can try one of the other points on this list.

Broaden + deepen your network.

Take this time to reconnect with friends, colleagues, and old coworkers. Maybe there are opportunities to help each other, or maybe those opportunities will pop up when things start moving again. Humans are social creatures, so don’t be afraid to reach out and check in just for the sake of it.

I’ve started a lunch date initiative where I schedule two video lunch dates per week and then introduce each of those people to other folks whom I think they might like to speak with (and they do the same for me). I welcome you to start your own, or email me to join mine.

Work on your resume/story/portfolio.

What differentiates you? What are you doing this all for? If the answer is “to pay my bills” I feel that, but that won’t make people want to hire you (unless being super straightforward is part of your vibe and you have the track record to back up your drive). But for the rest of us, what drives you beneath that? What is the intersection of expertise that will help you stand out?

Humans love stories. The better you can frame your story through a website, resume, portfolio, or cover letter, the more likely a potential client or employer is to root for you. Maybe this is an opportunity to bring a passion project to life and showcase the kind of work you want to be doing. Maybe you can pivot, add something new that tailors to the present moment. Can you give yourself the space to be creative with what might be possible?

Learn new skills or enhance old ones.

Gazing at the stock market, the news, and your inbox will slowly erode your sanity. Instead, you could take up drawing or hone those writing skills. You can use the list below for free and discounted classes to get those creative juices flowing.

Or if you’ve got an old instrument lying around, you could try getting back at it. Challenging the mind keeps it healthy, so pick something that really makes you think. (I’m currently trying to teach myself the Sweetwater Theme from Westworld. It’s not going well, but it’s kind of fun.)

Take a look at the big picture.

If you don’t regularly check in with what you actually want and are working towards, you may not be optimizing yourself for happiness. Maybe the global pandemic is confronting you with those deep big picture questions. Instead of ignoring the feeling of discomfort again, what if you sat with it?

There are plenty of ways to tackle that. You can try journaling, creating mood boards, talking to people in and out of your field, reading books by people you admire, or even envisioning your perfect future self (a very helpful Buddhist practice). Sometimes we need help with that so if therapy, coaching, or other counseling is an option, and if you have the funds, that might be something to explore.

Do your taxes.

I know they’re not actually due until July 15, but getting your 2019 taxes done, especially if it was a better year than 2018 for you, can be helpful when you apply for the CARES Act backed SBA loans (or any other assistance you may have access to as the SBA funds have been quickly depleted). Plus, you can file them now, and not pay anything you may owe until July.

Additionally, here is a list of free and discounted tools to get you through the stay at home orders.

Tools + Resources

Adobe is offering extended free trials and sharing options. They are also sharing the Adobe Summit presentations digitally.

Internet Essentials provides high-speed internet to low income households and is offering two months free for eligible customers.

For those new to working from home, LinkedIn has organized a video series of best practices for remote working and productivity.

Flex Jobs has a free guide on how to find and land remote jobs.

Humu is providing nudges — what they typically share with clients as highly-specialized science-backed recommendations — to anyone who needs them.

Job Fair X is hosting a virtual job fair on July 20 for New Yorkers.

Listen on Repeat is a free tool that lets you listen to the same song on repeat through YouTube. I like using video game music, but you can choose your own adventure.

If you’re looking for a side hustle to get your through tough times, here is a list of currently open positions via Indeed and another one via LinkedIn.

This Medium post contains a resource directory along with tools specifically for freelance designers.

inc.com has put together a MASSIVE collection of financial resources for small businesses.

Continuing Education

Sackett Street Writer’s Workshop is offering discounted online classes, a free video series, and weekly “write ins.”

The Daily Frolic has made a creative writing series free.

Aaron Blaise is offering free and discounted virtual drawing and animation classes.

Disney has a how to draw series posted for free on YouTube.

Nikon is offering select online classes for free.

Code Wizards is offering free and reduced pricing for kid’s coding classes.

Prodigy has a list of resources for families to entertain and teach children.

Netflix has released a handful of documentaries to YouTube.

A range of grant writing courses (from $30 – $200+) are available for virtual sign up through Eventbrite.

JSTOR has expanded its free read-online access from 6 to 100 articles per month.

Project Muse has opened up journals to the public through participating publishers (most participating publishers have agreed to open access through the end of May or June.)

Health + Wellness

Mental Health America has compiled a list of resources for everyone from caregivers to domestic violence survivors to veterans.

Headspace is offering free meditations in a series called “weathering the storm.”

305 Fitness has free at home dance workouts.*

Core Power Yoga has free online classes.

Three Jewels has discounted online classes, meditations, and dharma classes.*

We Are Body Language has live classes on Instagram*

Monterey Bay Aquarium has a few live cams set up accompanied by relaxing tunes. The jellyfish are my favorites.

Media + Entertainment

Scribd has opened up their library for 30 days. This is not your typical free trial. You won’t be asked to input your credit card here.

Amazon is adding free perks to Prime and Kindle packages for existing and new users.

Audible has launched Stories where children’s stories are available to stream for free in a range of languages.

The San Diego Zoo has live cams set ups for pandas, orangutans, polar bears, giraffes, penguins, and more.

The Bronx Zoo is on that live cam game, too, with lemurs, turtles, sea lions, and the aquarium.

Australian Reptile Park is posting videos of animal tales and live streams of koalas, crocodiles, dingoes, and live feedings.

Taronga Zoo in Sydney is also offering live streams for otters, elephants, tigers, meerkats, and more.

*Writer’s note: I used to teach at Three Jewels and personally know the folks of 305 Fitness and We Are Body Language, and have included them because they’re amazing. I do not get a kick back for this promo.

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About the author.
Alessandra is the mentor, educator, and writer behind Boneseed, a private practice devoted to deep self-inquiry through a range of physical, energetic, and mental modalities. She has over 500 hours of yoga, mentorship, and facilitation training and can be found slinging knowledge on her website, newsletter, and @bone.seed.

Finding copywriting work is a job in itself. Whether you’re having a hard time in the tough job market or you just haven’t found the right fit yet, interspersing ongoing learning with job searching will make you a stronger candidate during a copywriting job search. These days, copywriters with Creative Circle primarily produce digital content, and the expectation is that writers dabble in a range of related skills.

“Copywriters with hybrid creative skills like coding and design are unicorns,” says CC recruiter Taylor Crowley. Learning some of those new skills can also provide a bit of a break from sending out countless resumes. But, she cautions, don’t stray too far from your main skill set of copywriting. For more senior roles and larger agencies, those roles will still be separate.

As a recruiter with Creative Circle for 13 years, Jocelyn Yant has seen the marketplace shift. She explains that you “don’t have to be an expert” on all things digital, but proficiency and being well-rounded are definitely assets in a copywriting job search.

Show, Don’t Tell

When you’re inundated with work, updating your online portfolio might be the last thing on your mind. If you’re now looking for a new client or a new job, take the time to update your online portfolio and LinkedIn profile. It sounds obvious, but you might be telling a recruiter that you have experience writing about beauty products, and your clips don’t reflect that.

This is an opportunity to show what you do know and where your skills are. Recruiters move quickly and will go to the next candidate if you don’t demonstrate an understanding of market trends upfront.

Yant points out that copywriting is all about long-form right now, that every company has a blog and social media, and they want to see copywriters who can “craft a message and carry it through for more than 300 words.”

Be sure to specifically mention “social media copy” on your resume too if you’ve written short copy for Instagram captions or for Facebook posts, adds Crowley.

Learn Some Coding Basics

Chances are you’ll have to be familiar with different content management systems (CMSs) if you’re going to be writing emails or web content for a client.

You might need a basic understanding of HTML and CSS to set up or send your work online. Maybe you have a working knowledge already, if not, you can hone your skills for free online with Code Academy or through a free month trial at Lynda.com.

Understand How to Quantify Your Impact

Yant points out that there will always be a practical need for print, but it is also a dying form. And unlike digital, she says, “you can’t track the efficacy of your programs.”

Clients may want you to quantify impact through the keywords in the ads you write or reader engagement on their websites. You can get certified in Google Ads or Analytics through their Skillshop for free.

Search engine optimization (SEO) and search engine marketing (SEM) can help you write for impact on the web by understanding who, what, where, when, and how to draw readers. Since both processes change constantly, many certifications rapidly become obsolete. They also tend to be expensive. Focus on reading blogs like Moz, Search Engine Journal, or Search Engine Land to improve your skills in SEO and SEM.

For content creator roles, you might need to do a bit of photo retouching, curating images, or creating graphics for social media. (Some nonprofit communications job descriptions even ask for video editing.) Familiarity with Adobe Photoshop or Premiere is helpful for working with images, although again, no one is expecting a copywriter to be a highly skilled photo editor.

Knowledge of a free graphic design tool like Canva can go a long way for creating images for social media posts.

Write More, and Write Better

Being a generalist might make sense for more junior copywriters and clients with smaller budgets, but don’t forget to focus on your writing. If you’re just out of school, returning to the workforce, or you don’t have clips in an area of interest, don’t be afraid to include spec projects in a portfolio, Yant emphasizes. As long as you are transparent that it’s not paid work, you could extend a brand campaign or write for a friend’s business.

Decent editing and proofreading chops are expected too. More often than not, there’s no one looking over your shoulder to factcheck — make sure that you spell things correctly, or keep tenses consistent. Yant recalls, unfortunately, she recently had a copywriter lose a placement at a great company because of frequent typos and mistakes. Attention to detail is paramount.

It sometimes seems like being a jack of all trades is a necessary requirement for being a copywriter. But despite employer ads asking for a million different skills from copywriters, most places are really looking for a strong writer with some knowledge of the broader digital environment. And that unicorn is you.

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About the author.
Jess Powers writes about marketing, food, and wellness. She has experience in nonprofit communications and emergency management. Follow her @foodandfury.

If you’ve needed some help getting motivated, focused and confident, you are not alone. With “normal” becoming non-existent and the very fabric of our realities shifting like grains of sand in a storm, it’s hard enough just putting on pants (not that you need to, I full endorse pantsless work days).

Dear reader, I’ve curated two extremely lengthy playlists for your aural delight with hours of tunes to get you through the days and weeks ahead. An eclectic mix, you’ll find everything from Taylor Swift to Eminem to Dolly Parton to AC/DC to plenty of weird electronic you probably haven’t heard of.

Here are your two comprehensive collections:

quaran-carpe diem:

seize the day regardless of circumstances.

Click here to view the playlist.

Opening with a few bangers and then smoothing out to interplay with a lot of focus friendly electronic, this 8+ hour playlist can carry you through the entire workday — and remind you to actually stop at the end.

you are a hydrated, qualified, and prepared beast:

confidence boosting jams for presentations, meetings, and interviews.

Click here to view the playlist. 

With nearly 6 hours of confidence boosting anthems and fight songs, you’ll be ready to take on anything and anyone. Use it to prepare for virtual interviews and meetings, to crush your at-home workout, or just epically wash your hands for the recommended 20 seconds.

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About the author.
Alessandra is the mentor, educator, and writer behind Boneseed, a private practice devoted to deep self-inquiry through a range of physical, energetic, and mental modalities. She has over 500 hours of yoga, mentorship, and facilitation training and can be found slinging knowledge on her website, newsletter, and @bone.seed

Maybe getting that work out in is a little harder when you don’t have to stop at the gym on your way home. Maybe not having weights is a bummer. Maybe you’ve lost the will to move physically more than is absolutely necessary. Never fear! We have a list of body weight exercises so you can mix and match your way to a quick yet efficient workout.

Short workouts in between work sprints may actually be even better than one longer sweat sesh at the gym. A short HIIT (or high-intensity interval training) sesh will burn more fat, make you stronger, and up your cardio more efficiently than a longer steady state workout. One study shows that HIIT training is five times more efficient than endurance training, and there are plenty of exercises you can combine that don’t require equipment.

Other benefits to short workouts include less post-workout fatigue and hunger, fewer cravings for sweets, and maybe even an elimination of that afternoon coffee. Plus, a midday workout can help reduce stress and anxiety, which we can all use help with right about now. Let’s get to it.

How to create your set:

Choose one exercise from each section below. 60 seconds on 10 seconds rest. You can repeat 2-3 times for a 15-minute workout. Sometimes getting over that first 5 minutes will get you in the mood, so if you want to keep going to a full hour, HIIT it, killer! (I am both sorry and not sorry for that dad joke.)

If you want to build longer sets, you can choose your own range with the Tabata style combo below:

45-60 seconds ON
10-20 seconds OFF
x5
20-60 seconds REST
Repeat 5-12 times for a 30-75min workout

You can use a timer to help you keep track of time. I use the app Seconds because the only thing that can get me to push myself right now is a robot telling me to.

Keep reading for a list of exercises to mix and match, as well as a demo video wherein I show you all my favorite sweet moves.

Warm Up

Add these movements before you begin as a bonus for better mobility.

Crescent Lunge: Use padding under the knee if you need to and activate your glutes to get a deeper stretch in the hip flexors.

Plank to Low Lunge: Activate the core by lifting the pelvic floor, then step teach foot forward with control to open up that hip mobility.

Downward Dog to Plank: This exercise give you core activation plus spinal movement to warm up the whole torso.

Jumping Jacks: Nothing like the old-fashioned standby to get the heart rate going. Make sure to land softly by moving ball to heel to protect your knees. You can also march in place for a low impact option.

Lower Body

Lunges: The trick with lunges is alignment. Get the knee hovering just above the floor if you can, creating two right angles with the legs. You can perform these stationary, walking throughout the house, or back and forth.
Side lunges target the inner thighs and can be really useful to target those stabilizers.

Curtsey lunges can help target the glutes more specifically and help to address imbalances.

To add some intensity, jump lunges can spike your heart rate quickly. Be careful not to advance to these until you’ve got the alignment and stability portion in check. Otherwise, you could hurt yourself.

Squats: Stand with your hips slightly further apart than your hips with feet slightly turned out and squat down past your knees if possible. The deeper you go, the more range of motions you work, the stronger you’ll get.

You can also work on sitting back into a chair if squatting past the ankles is challenging. It’ll strengthen the basics so you can build.

To go stationary, try a wall sit. Back to the wall, thighs parallel to the floor, knees over ankles. When it burns and you’re trembling, you’ll know it’s working.

Finally, for more intensity, go for jump squats by launching yourself up from the bottom of your squat. Make sure to land on your toes first to absorb the shock and protect your knees (like with jumping jacks).

Bridge: Drive the heels down to lift your hips. You can repeat the full range of motion, hold, or pulse.

To go further you can lift one leg up and down or pulse the opposite side with the leg lifted.

Leg Lift: There are tons of leg lifts out there, but two I find that really help isolate the glutes. First, a pulse in a slight arabesque. Second, a clam variation that lifts the feet to give a slight internal rotation followed by a leg extension.

Upper Body

Push Ups: Elbows in or out it’s your choice. (Out will be a standard pushup. In gives you that yoga-style chaturanga push up.) You can also lower the knees if you find yourself sacrificing form.

Take it up a notch with diamond pushups to get more tricep action.

Take it up several notches by adding a dynamic clap at the top.

Handstands: Practicing handstands against the wall can be super fun. L-shape or jumping up against the wall are two great options, especially when you don’t have weights to get into the core.

You can also walk forward and back to push the shoulders to fatigue and activate the core stabilizers.

Scapular Retraction: This one may require some weight or a resistance band for you to feel something. Rows or reverse flies can be helpful and water bottles can be just as good as weights. (I’ve even seen people use bags of books. I have personally used a ladder before. Get creative!)

Core

Planks: On your hands or forearms — what’s most important here is to hold steady and not let the hips or shoulders sink. Be sure to breathe and lift the pelvic floor to let the core feel sturdy.

You can work on side planks instead and lift one leg for an extra challenge, or rotate for a crunch.

For something more dynamic, try plank jacks!

Twists: You can use weight here as an option as you twist from side to side and leave the feet on the floor or lift them for a challenge.

Roman Deadlift: Another stabilizer, this enhances balance and will work the core and lower back. Lean forward keeping the spine long as you lift one leg behind you. The big challenge here is keeping your hips square.

Superman: This one is a little more targeted for the low back as you lift, hold, and release.

You can move continuously with Swimmers as a variation.

Full Body

Mountain Climbers: Tuck each knee into the chest, working hip mobility, legs, arms and core.

Burpees: The best, and also the worst. You can jump at the top or reach your arms up. You can jump to the top of a push up or step back. You can perform a full push up, knees lowered push up, or just hold plank for a beat. Either way, this will be the hardest minute of them all, probably.

Bear Crawl: Keeping the knees as low to the ground as possible, you’ll want to crawl forward and backward. You can also hold in place in between movements.

Cardio

Stairs: If you have stairs in your house, running (or honestly just walking regular style) up and down them is a great way to get your heart rate up!

Step Knee to Elbow: Take two steps and then crunch that knee to your elbow alternating sides. This one requires a bit of rhythm and coordination and can be super fun.

Roundhouse Kicks: Great for hip rotation this move gets you as much cardio as force you put into it. Make sure there are no children, pets, or sharp objects around.

Jab and Cross: Your standard one two punch can be done stationary to give the core more focus or you can move your feet forward and back to channel your inner Rocky/Creed for shadow boxing.

Butt Kicks: Almost like jogging in place, these will help you contract you hamstring. They’re often used as a running warm up.

High Knees: Keep your hands above your hips to make sure you really reach. You can also march in place for a low impact version.

Star Jacks: This is a more dynamic version of jumping jacks where you jump into a star formation and land crouching.

BONUS

DANCE! You don’t need instructions for this one. Just make a playlist of your favorite 2-3 songs and go crazy until it’s over. You can catch your break between songs. This will not only get your heart rate up, but dancing can be a major mood booster. You can also replace the cardio category with DANCE!

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About the author.
Alessandra is the mentor, educator, and writer behind Boneseed, a private practice devoted to deep self-inquiry through a range of physical, energetic, and mental modalities. She has over 500 hours of yoga, mentorship, and facilitation training and can be found slinging knowledge on her website, newsletter, and @bone.seed

Tools for Staying Organized

For collaborating on documents, spreadsheets, or presentations, nothing beats Google’s suite of cloud computing. There’s a free or business version and it’s available anywhere. But even a simple and elegant solution may require training for teams that aren’t used to working remotely. Just because you understand it, don’t assume that people know how to adjust settings to track their edits, for example, rather than editing a document directly.

Dropbox is helpful to organize final versions of documents. Cyrus Zulkarnaïan Kazi, CEO and co-founder of Quantibly.com, a global SaaS solution for the social sector, prefers to keep it simple. He creates a master Google spreadsheet as a “running depository of all the things being worked on.” The spreadsheet has links to all of the project documents. “You can’t walk into someone’s office and ask for something,” he points out, so having everything organized in one place is helpful.

There are many task and project management tools available out there. Website developers seem to prefer Basecamp, but personally, I like the visual design and ease of use of Trello.

Image courtesy of Trello

Here again, Kazi prefers to stick with a simple project management tool that doesn’t require another application. When you use “heavy” project management tools like a Gantt chart, he explains, you also have to train people. And that adds work. He uses a shared Google spreadsheet for project and task management.

Tools for Staying Connected

Like productivity tools, for each solution that one person prefers and finds reliable, there are other messaging solutions that someone else will choose. Many teams use Slack, Google Hangouts, or WhatsApp for messaging throughout the day. The security conscious use Signal Private Messenger for encrypted communication.

When you have to communicate by voice or video with a team or have a conference call, there are also many options. If your workplace doesn’t have a preferred platform in place or an IT department with a recommendation, consider your budget and any equipment or training needs for people who are new to remote work.

If you’re disseminating a lot of information or leading a training and want to limit interruptions or participation from a large group of attendees, GoToMeeting or WebEx are commonly used.

For more collaborative and scalable meetings with video options, Zoom and BlueJeans are popular solutions. They enable screen share, chatting, and other features.

Free Conference Call is popular for those on a tight budget who only need audio. (But, you get what you (don’t) pay for. There are a fair amount of dropped calls or problems with access codes with this service.)

When using a new teleconferencing program, it’s important to give your team the tools to succeed. If security is a concern or people are reliant on their own technology at home, be sure to involve your IT department in this process early on for guidance. Give people ample time to download and familiarize themselves with the application prior to the call. Not everyone will do that, so it may be worthwhile to check in directly with technologically-challenged folks on your team in advance.

Many people temporarily cover up the camera on their laptop for security concerns and some may prefer an option without video. Allow participants to be on a video conference call or not, if they prefer a voice only option.

Kazi uses G Suite for business, which includes Google Meet. “Tech costs are spiking with everyone working remotely,” he points out. “Why take on more operational costs and licenses?”

Tools for Staying Sane

Social media can have negative impacts on mental health, but it may be difficult to avoid if it’s part of your freelance assignment. If you find it distracting for your productivity, you can limit usage through apps on your phone and browser extensions like WasteNoTime or StayFocusd.

Clearly we’re not in a typical work environment, even for remote work. It’s critical to take care of your behavioral health while social distancing during an infectious disease outbreak. YouTube is a great source for at home workouts. Insight Timer is a free meditation app with 30,000 free guided meditations, including meditations that help with getting a good night’s sleep.

You can use Libby to download ebooks and audiobooks from your public library. Audible made hundreds of titles free, particularly for kids, as a gesture while schools are temporarily closed.

Some people are turning to social video games for interaction. Jon Distad, a software engineer who works remotely, recently completed a crossword puzzle with friends on Zoom, something they used to do in the office together.

Whether you’re a seasoned teleworker or feel stuck at home because of the need for social distancing to limit the spread of COVID-19, hopefully you’ve found some useful tools to help you work from home. Stay safe and well.

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About the author.
Jess Powers writes about marketing, food, and wellness. She has experience in nonprofit communications and emergency management. Follow her @foodandfury.