If you're still working from home, then you're probably at least 13 weeks in now. And for some of us, things aren't looking to change any time soon. Whether you've had the flexibility to work from home before or not, this lockdown has put new challenges on each and every one of us.
Let's be honest, the first few weeks were pretty exciting weren't they? We got that extra 30+ minutes in bed every morning, we got to choose our own music EVERY DAY and we had SafeFM for that boost of Creditsafe culture we all love.
There's no denying that working for a company like Creditsafe, which goes the extra mile for its employees, has made life during this pandemic a lot easier. But are there still many areas that are challenging right now, and in one way or another, we are probably not feeling our best.
Whether you've been feeling burnt out or especially isolated over the last few weeks, we've pulled together some helpful tips to help you overcome the lockdown slump.
To be clear, we're not advising you to go breaking social distancing guidelines, but your social life is a HUGE part of your emotional wellbeing. We're all feeling the negative effect of not being able to see, hug and laugh with our friends and family right now. But it's important to remember we are lucky we are to live in an age where FaceTime and Zoom exist!
Make time to have a virtual hang out with friends or a Friday lunchtime beer with your colleagues. After 10 weeks, we noticed we were doing this less, and we've become all the more grumpy for it! So let's all start making the effort to virtually meet up for a laugh and not just for a meeting.
Did you know, laughing actually improves your memory, reduces stress levels and helps with your ability to problem solve.
So I have a confession to make, I'm not a tidy person. My desk regularly looks like a bomb has just gone off, which makes tidying up my workspace every evening even more tedious.
But during these times when work-life and home-life are colliding more than ever, it's important to keep the distinction between both clear. Where possible make sure you stick to regular hours and when the work is done clear up. That means putting away your note-pads, your laptop and other bits. This will help to officially end the day in your mind and well as give you a nice clear space when you come back to work the following morning.
Even if you are lucky enough to have a home-office, make sure you tidy up each evening, then leave and keep the door shut!
Spend the last 10 minutes of your workday readying your desk for the next day. Starting out with a desk prepared for the day ahead could have a powerful effect on your mind-set and productivity
Taking some time off right now may not feel particularly appealing and we're certainly not going to be going on that summer holiday we dreamed of. But having some real-time off from work is possibly more important now than pre-pandemic.
We've all been exposed to a whole mixture or new stressors and challenges over the last few months, which can be emotionaly exhausting. If you're finding that you feel more tired at the moment and that your days are looking like groundhog day, then this is a sure sign that some time off is needed!
Take some time off to detach from work, try a new hobby or start a new personal project. You could even put some of that unused holiday money towards some indulgent food, wine or a new household item.
By the time you come back to work, you'll feel more refreshed and even more productive too.
Don't you hate it when someone tells you to do exercise!? Yes me too, but sadly today I'm going to be that person. Not because you need to look "Instagram worthy" on the beach this summer, but because it's the biggest gift you can give yourself right now.
Social withdrawal can have some horrible effects on our happiness. But did you know raising your heart rate is scientifically proven to boost your mood, reduce stress and improve self-esteem?
Whilst exercise is no replacement for spending time with friends and family, it can help to ease the frustration and unhappiness we're feeling at the moment.
No one is expecting you to start running a marathon or doing 100 press-ups each morning (it makes me sick just thinking about that!). There are many ways to get your heart racing, and in fact, you only really need to do 10 minutes of moderate-high intensity exercise to get the benefits.
Interval training is a great way to get the most benefit with the least amount of effort. It sounds scary, but it's really not! By choosing a set of 5 exercises, from squats to jumping jacks you can build a short circuit to do in your living room. Do 40 seconds of continuous reps on each exercise, followed by 20 seconds rest, once you've completed all 5, repeat! And remember, it's all about mental health, so do it at your own pace and enjoy it!
If you feel like you need some inspiration to plan your workouts, just head over to the #healthandfitness channel on slack, there are LOADS of pre-written workouts for you to pick and choose exercises from.
Last, but certainly not least...open up to a friend, whether that's in work or outside of work. We are all experiencing our own versions of lockdown and the frustration that come with it. So let's support each other through this.
There is often a tendency to tell others that "we're okay" and that "we can't complain, at least we are working", but that's counterproductive as it encourages us to suppress our feelings. In fact, it can encourage someone else to suppress their feelings too. By being honest and opening up to our friends we naturally help each other, we get things off our chest, problem solve together and feel all the better for it!
So the next time someone asks if you're okay when you're not, just be honest. And if you suspect someone else is having a tough day, make sure you let them know that it's okay to share.