Keeping Sane During Isolation/Working From Home!

My top tips on how to keep sane and positive during this difficult period.

I am on around day 15 of working from home, at first all that was going through my mind was how do people do this? It’s so lonely, far too easy to pig out and even easier to feel demotivated!

So, what did I do? Day 2 of working from home/being in isolation, I came up with a structured plan to refer to, to keep me on the straight and narrow!

Follow these simple steps and believe me, you will remain positive and sane during this period of isolation!

1)    Make sure you plan and organise your day.

I find doing this at the end of the day, for the next day is the best way to do it. Everything is fresh in your mind on what you need to do tomorrow. I find prioritising my list also helps E.g. something that needs doing straight away would have *** next to it, whereas something that can wait until the end of the day will have * next to it. Make sure you add in break times, I tend to have 10 minutes in the morning just to stretch my legs, make a drink Etc. 45 mins for lunch and 10 mins in the afternoon. This is important so that you do not burn out.

2)    Wake up at the same time you would as if you were driving/commuting to the office.

This extra time allows you to set yourself up for the day. Shower and get ready as you usually would. If you sit around in your jimjams you will feel lazy and demotivated! Get up early, go for a walk out in the fresh air for 20 minutes, come back and have a nice breakfast to set you up for the day.

3)    Enjoy a healthy, nutritious breakfast.

It’s very easy to skip breakfast or eat sh*t when working from home, but it’s very important to remain healthy! I have been super strict with my food since working from home, as naturally you’re not as active. For breakfast I have had either a three-egg omelette with spinach and ham, Porridge with peanut butter and a cut up banana, or a protein shake with Gold Standard Whey protein, peanut butter, almond milk, honey, half a banana and a handful of spinach. Kick start the day as you mean to go on! These simple morning meals are full of goodness, but yummy and filling!

4)    Exercise is KEY!

Make sure you keep active. This is extremely important for keeping positive and sane! I know it’s quite tough right now with gyms and leisure centres closed, and we’re only allowed out of the house for 1 bit of exercise per day, but there’s many things you can do at home too! I have been going on an hours dog walk or run per day, then doing something that’s super good for the mind such as weights to boost those endorphins, yoga (there’s tons of YouTube videos to help you out) to help with relaxation, or a circuits station in the back garden (when the weather is ok) – this is all body weight stuff and can easily be done in the house too. High knee’s, jump squats, burpees, mountain climbers, sit ups, press ups Etc.

5)    Make sure you switch off.

Because you’re working in the same place you live, it’s very easy to fall into that trap of not switching off. If you don’t switch off and enjoy some ‘you’ time, or family time, then working from home will start to burn you out. It is important to stay motivated and for you to still enjoy your job at the end of this working from home period. If you stick to your day plan as mentioned in point number 1, you are working to deadlines and know what you need to achieve that day. Make sure you get what you need done during working hours, then completely switch your laptop off and move it out of sight until the next day. The last thing you want is for your loving relaxing home to feel like work.

6)    Remind yourself every day of what you are grateful for.

Whether you tell yourself in the mirror, write it down then throw it away, make sure you remember the good in all of this. What are you grateful for? Your health? Your wealth? Your family? Your home? Your car? Fresh food in the fridge? Fresh running water? Your wardrobe full of clothes?

Remember the things that you do have, the things we take for granted. As there’s people in the world who would do anything to have what you currently have. 

I didn’t want to bombard you with too much info, the biggest thing for me is to simply open your eyes in the morning and tell yourself this is only temporary pain, it’s not going to last forever! I understand it’s very hard for most of us. A lot of people have been made redundant, and now have the baggage of financial stress as well. Try to stay positive, you got this!!!