Staying close while physically apart

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Welcome to the third edition of Kepler at Home. While we’re all adjusting to new schedules and ways of working, Kepler leaders share their thoughts, personally and professionally — how they stay motivated, moving, and the new traditions they are starting.

Justin Sous has been at Kepler for seven years, and from helping build the foundations of our optimization strategy in Kepler’s early days he now leads our 109-person Optimization & Innovation team. While Justin has been appreciating the shorter commute by staying at home in New Jersey, he’s found it hard to be away from his extended family.

While we’re all under strict instruction from the community to stay physically apart, I continue to remind myself how important it is to also stay close with one another. Some of you know that I am a big “family guy” (no, not the tv show…). My wife and I are very close with our families, and it’s been hard for us to not be able to see them in person. I find myself calling and texting them often, sending them videos of my daughter Emma (8 months), and reminiscing with my father about the 1990s Knicks. I miss them, and I know it’s “grandparent torture” for them to not see their granddaughter.

On the bright side, these strange times have also offered me an incredible opportunity to spend more time with my daughter Emma. By working from home and also saving 3+ hours of commuting time per day, I’m witnessing her milestones and “firsts” on what feels like a daily basis. I’m grateful for this extra time with her.

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I’m witnessing my daughter’s “firsts” on what feels like a daily basis.

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Many of our lives have been put on hold. But if we all continue to do our part with social distancing, support our local businesses, be understanding and empathetic to one another, and continue to “stay close” while staying physically apart, I know we’re going to come out of this as even stronger human beings than we were before.‍