Working from home will either be a blessing or a curse for you. Thankfully, I’ve got no kids, an office with everything I need and a very supportive boyfriend. I’m one of the lucky ones. For a lot of people right now, juggling the life of parenting, working, caring for others, having a new baby, completing housework, maybe even trying to work two jobs is now the norm whilst the economy and the world’s health goes to shit.

We’re currently in our third lockdown and so much has changed over the past year. I don’t need to summarise what’s happened but for those of you who don’t know (seriously, where have you been?), the whole world has been on its head whilst Coronavirus has permeated every aspect of our lives. The UK has been an absolute shambles from start to finish. The lack of leadership, extremely slow decision making and poor handling of the pandemic as a whole has tragically taken over 100,000 lives. Without going on too much, it’s so important to acknowledge and just take a minute to think about all of the families and friends who have lost someone or even multiple people close to them due to Coronavirus. This hasn’t been an easy ride for anyone, and with no end in sight, it’s such a scary time for us all. My heart is with you.

In a world full of uncertainty, I wanted to talk about ways you can help and support yourself. For me personally, since our first lockdown in March 2020, I’ve worked about two months. Pre-COVID, I was an absolute workaholic, so going from being furloughed to a redundancy was really difficult for me. Slowing down, focusing on absolutely nothing, having financial issues and not knowing where or when I would work next was terrifying. I’ve just started a new job and since we’re in another lockdown, the onboarding and working is completely remote. Many people have worked from home right through the pandemic, many MANY people are still experiencing job losses but for anyone that is about to embark on this new remote working life, I have some tips for you – there will be things that feel odd but it’s the world we live in now.

Tips for working from home

1. Move baby, move. Think about working in your previous job (assuming it was in an office), when did you ever just sit at your desk all day? I’m sure you went to the kitchen for a cuppa, spoke to colleagues about your weekend and so on. Just because you’re at home now doesn’t mean you’re chained to your desk. Go get that coffee, stretch your legs. Go for a walk at lunch if you can!

2. Adapt your routine. Commuting is now a thing of the past so use this time to focus on you. I will often journal in the mornings. I avoid my phone if possible and try some mindful exercises. This isn’t for everyone but find something that makes you feel good and connected to the world. Not only will it be a great start to the day, but you might find something new you enjoy doing.

3. Ready, steady, cook! You’re at home now, get creative with your lunches! No more queuing up for a meal deal or a baguette from the local shop so spend this time exploring different recipes. You could even meal prep and just spend your whole lunch hour watching an episode of Bridgerton or Peep Show?!

4. Make the effort to introduce yourself. Usually, you’d probably be shown around an office, introduced to everyone and spend your lunches getting to know people. Nowadays, unless you have a Zoom meeting with someone, you probably won’t know who you work with. Set up meetings, get comfortable on your company’s chat system and have a virtual cuppa with a few new faces.

5. Turn the music up! You’re in control of Spotify now, get your favourite playlist on and have a little dance in your PJs. If you want something chill, go for Tame Impala. Anything else – Beyonce is your gal!

6. Change the scenery. If you have the option, switch up your environment. If your office chair isn’t doing it for you, go spread out on the sofa. If you’re bored of staring at the same wall every day, go sit in the garden (when it’s not baltic outside!) or in your favourite room. Again, you’re not chained to your desk. Lockdown is difficult enough right now, if you want to sit on your sofa in your PJs whilst you’re working then do it!

7. Get that heart racing. I love the working out, so home workouts and getting out on walks have been crucial for me and my mental health. Get yourself a couple of bottles full of water and use them as weights. Find a home workout on Youtube, join virtual gym classes, have online PT sessions or maybe even sign up to a service, such as Apple Fitness+ (you’ll need an Apple watch for this) and get your body moving. Sweat your worries and frustrations out. Even if you use your previous commuting time to get in a workout or plan to walk after work, try to make this a priority. You’ll feel 10x better and you’ll more than likely have a more productive day!

More than anything right now, try to find joy in the little things. Find what works for you. Life is shitty right now for so many people and everyone is fighting their own battle. I have experienced some of my lowest moments, even over the last few months but try to hold on to hope and know things will get better. You are strong, powerful and so worthy of a life full of excitement and love. We can and will get through this lockdown and you will hug your loved ones again. It’ll be a beautiful moment and that is something I think about daily.

No matter what situation you’re in right now, whether you’re the lowest you’ve been in years, you’re just about coping with finances, you’ve lost your job or maybe, all three wrapped up in one – there is help. There are charities and helplines you can call on for support. If you are in need, please see below for a whole range of helplines, websites and specific charities that are there to help you.

SUPPORT

In an emergency:

  • Call 999
  • Go to your local A&E department

If you’re in crisis and need to speak to someone:

  • Call NHS 111 (for when you need help but are not in immediate danger)
  • Contact your GP and ask for an emergency appointment

These services offer confidential advice from trained volunteers. You can talk about anything that’s troubling you, no matter how difficult:

  • Call 116 123 to talk to a trained, confidential person at the Samaritans, or email: [email protected] for a reply within 24 hours
  • Text “SHOUT” to 85258 to contact the Shout Crisis Text Line, or text “YM” if you’re under 19
  • If you’re under 19, you can also call 0800 1111 to talk to Childline. The number will not appear on your phone bill.

Specific helplines:

  • Nightline. If you’re a student, you can look on the Nightline website to see if your university or college offers a night-time listening service. Nightline phone operators are all students too.
  • Switchboard. If you are part of the LGBT+ community, you can call Switchboard on 0300 330 0630 (10am–10pm every day), email [email protected] or use their webchat service. Phone operators all identify as LGBT+.
  • Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM). A helpline for men in the UK who are down or have hit a wall for any reason, who need to talk or find information and support. You can look on the CALM website or ring the helpline for men: 0800 58 58 58. If you don’t want to talk, they also have a webchat: www.thecalmzone.net/help/webchat/. You can get this support from 5pm to midnight, every day of the year.
  • PANDAS. A helpline for parents needing information, support and guidance with maternal and paternal mental health. This includes: prenatal/postnatal depression, birth trauma, anxiety and perinatal mental health. You can look on the PANDAS website or call the helpline number from 9am-8pm every day on: 0843 2898 401. Email support is also available: [email protected]