Kacie Galligan began working full time for Pangea.app this June as a Business Development Specialist. She has been working and studying remotely since the pandemic hit, finishing her senior year at Bryant University virtually while interning for Pangea. 

Thanks so much to Kacie for sharing her experience transitioning to working full time from home!
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As a commuting student at Bryant University, Kacie’s work-from-home experience before the pandemic consisted of completing assignments for her classes. While her internship with Pangea.app involved remote work, her part-time job at a local bakery was in-person and consisted of frequent customer interaction. Kacie continued to work at the bakery as the pandemic began, which added a sense of normalcy to her routine. Her now full-time position at Pangea.app means adjusting to completely virtual work. 

Carving out her own workspace helped Kacie avoid distractions

Living at home with her mother and sister, while balancing remote learning and her internship, made working from home a bit difficult in the beginning. The rest of Kacie’s family work remotely as well, creating challenges like avoiding distractions and finding her own space. Investing in a desk for her bedroom helped Kacie create the workspace she needed. Now, her challenge is making sure she gets up from that space throughout the day. “Previously, I worked on my feet, so being inside and stationary all day is a big change,” she remarks. Her biggest piece of advice for others working from home is to get a comfortable chair or a standing desk to avoid the back pain associated with sitting all day. 

Although Kacie sometimes finds it difficult to step away from her cozy workspace, she has learned the importance of setting boundaries. Her first month working full-time at Pangea, Kacie frequently got into bed at night and responded to emails. While these habits have been hard to break completely, she is trying to set aside time for herself. 

Different time zones are a challenge and a perk

Calls and conversations with those in different time zones were one challenge in navigating a better schedule for herself. However, Kacie enjoys talking with people all over the country and the world, even as she sits in her bedroom.

Kacie’s job involves frequent calls and interactions, making working from home an overall enjoyable experience. Helping the planet, and saving some money, by avoiding a commute has been a big positive. If there were less social interaction in her job, however, she thinks remote work might be more difficult. “I’m the type of person who gets my energy from being around other people,” she says.

We wish Kacie luck as she continues working from home, and hope she remembers to take a few breaks! 

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