A Guide to remaining healthy, calm and productive, whilst working remotely.

Life as we know it has fundamentally changed since the Government announced that all non-essential work must be done from home. Many of you may be used to working remotely already. However, the added factors of partners, children and lack of space and quiet can soon become very difficult. Remaining calm may look like a thing of the past and effective work thrown out the window. Personal space, exercise and rest are suddenly difficult to achieve when we are all in a confined area for long period of time. Many of you will be asking yourself, how can we start to build in coping strategies to support us through this time and keep a sense of normality? Building resilience and positivity, especially whilst working remotely, is key. Focus on what you can control and let go of what you cannot. Here are a few tips to keep you motivated and connected.

1. STRUCTURE Having a structure to your day whilst working remotely maintains our sense of routine. This helps our body clock to function normally so we maintain good sleeping and eating habits. Get up at your usual work time. Perhaps take a short walk alone as if you would be commuting. Or get in some early morning yoga stretches to get your body moving too.

2. IMMUNE SYSTEM SUPPORT Support your immune system. Practice at least 10-20 minutes of exercise every day. This could be a socially distanced walk outside, or an indoor workout online with the family. Exercise has been shown to raise your internal vibrations which boost your immune system, mental health and endorphins. Commit to a fixed time every day to ensure you do it!

3. NUTRITION AND HYDRATION Eat and drink well. Being at home and working remotely does not mean that you can let your healthy diet slip. It is an opportunity to get creative with your meals, get juicing, make healthy soups, snacks and experiment with food. Ensure you have a variety of nutritious snacks on hand and avoid sugar-laden fatty foods that will give you a mid-afternoon slump of energy.

4. BREAKS Allow for regular breaks – get up from your desk every hour. Stretch, breathe deeply and move your body. You could even dance to some fun music whilst you make a drink.

5. BOUNDARIES Set some clear work boundaries. Try to finish work at a set time and avoid looking at emails and reports after 6.30pm. Artificial light affects our bodies circadian rhythm and stops us naturally falling asleep. It will also become harder to switch off the “to do” list if you keep checking messages.

6. WORK SPACE Create a personal work space that you can be quiet and focused away from family distractions. Use

headphones and face a wall if you are in a confined space. Contact colleagues if you need support rather than thinking you need to do it all alone.

7. GOALS Set some new personal goals! Commit to paper something that you want to achieve. It might be learning a new skill online, reading all those books you never had time for before or upcycling some old furniture. Tick off your daily goal to get a sense of achievement. Use your evenings wisely for constructive activities rather than binge-watching Netflix.

8. GRATITUDE Start a Gratitude diary. This has been scientifically proven to help boost mindset and positive wellbeing. As you wake, write 3 things down you are grateful for and the same as you go to bed. Keep it simple and regularly read it over when you are feeling a bit low. This will help you to realize how much you have in your life.

9. POSITIVE STATEMENTS Positive statements. Create your own daily positive mantra. For example, “I am calm and relaxed and safe”. Or, “I will be productive today” for instance. Anything that resonates with you. This creates a sense of optimism and hope.

10. CONNECT WITH OTHERS Connect with others. Remember to set some time aside to reconnect with a Facetime date. We need connection with others to help support us emotionally. Set aside time for a virtual coffee morning or a group meal all in the safety of your own home.

Finally, remember to be kind to yourself, we are all in this together and need to give ourselves a break when we are feeling a little overwhelmed with the situation. Remind yourself to take deep breaths and be optimistic and of course BOOK YOURSELF A MASSAGE :)