Kepler at Home: Rebecca Ryan

Remember your own resilience

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Welcome to the first 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.

At Kepler, we’re lucky to able to work from home in the midst of this crisis. But even after 6+ weeks of practice, it’s tough to be positive and productive every day.

Rebecca Ryan, our head of HR & Talent, has been with Kepler since 2013. Unlike most Comets, she’s used to working remotely — Becca moved from New York City to Denver a few years ago. Even being a WFH expert, Becca is still feeling the challenges of working from home during a pandemic.

It can be hard not to feel overwhelmed, but as I’ve grappled with all the ups and downs, what I’ve strived for is balance. When I’m feeling negative, I remind myself that it’s for good reason and I’ll feel positive again too. When the negativity lingers too long, I rely on a few tricks that restore that balance. Some of the things that work for me are:

• Watching literally any video on the Bon Appetit Test Kitchen YouTube channel.
• Rereading a favorite book (I’m not sure how my copy of Bossypants by Tina Fey is still intact, because I’ve read it a zillion times).
• Sticking to my routines. I dragged myself out of bed to exercise every day this week and it was worth it every time.
• Reminding myself of examples of my own resilience. I’ve overcome challenges, anxiety, and uncertainty before, so I can do it again.
• Leaning on my support network. That includes my wonderful colleagues at Kepler, my friends and family, and — of course — my dog :-)

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by negativity today, try taking a page from Becca’s book. Or if you don’t have a copy of Bossypants at home, just take a moment to enjoy the photo of her adorable dog!

Keep reading on Medium for more of our Kepler at Home series.