I had planned to write this column about how great the AE Institute program was received and how wonderful our quality time together in San Diego was, while looking forward to seeing each other again in Washington, D.C. Those plans changed as our work lives and our personal lives were turned upside-down by COVID-19.

Like most of you, I have never closed my office for so long a stretch of time before. I have never worked from home for so long before, either, but with each new challenge I have found myself turning to a technological solution—some worked great; others, not so much.

This issue of REALTOR® AE, like every spring issue, is dedicated to technology. It’s something we often take for granted and sometimes don’t take full enough advantage of, but when the virus hit, it kept us going.

In fact, technology has been transforming the way we conduct business for some time. Now more than ever, it is technology that will make us successful as we add remote work and virtual committee and board meetings to our repertoire. We’ve all been experiencing a real time crash-course in how to stay connected to our members and colleagues while ensuring productivity and maximizing engagement.

As I transitioned to my home office, I realized just how essential good technology was: a fast computer, a good internet connection, and reliable chat and conferencing applications have been my lifeline. There have been other productivity essentials, though, that aren’t related to technology at all, such as having a dedicated workspace, finding the self-motivation and discipline to not be distracted, and adopting a strict routine. I still get up early every day, make my bed, and get ready for work just as I would if I were driving to the office instead of moving to another part of the house.

Other AEs I know have had to balance work with kids at home and share bandwidth with a spouse also trying to work remotely. Our diverse community may have different approaches, but I know the dedication to persevere was, and still is, there.

Since I had planned to see you in May, let’s make an effort to still do that. That interaction could happen through a quick FaceTime call or through a virtual meeting platform where many of us join together to share our experiences, stay connected, and learn from each other. And, I’d expect nothing less from this amazing AE community.