It is safe to say we are living in unprecedented times. We are being advised to isolate ourselves and maintain a social distance from others to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

Anxiety levels are at an all-time high as we worry about our health, that of our vulnerable loved ones and the impact the disruption will have on our businesses.

In response, businesses have asked their staff to work from home and banned all forms of non-essential business travel.

So, we thought we should pull together a guide to help you make the most of this time. Presenting you Part III of our Working From Home Guide, Part I can be accessed here. (The full guide consists of 22 essentials when working from home – do you want a full guide? Sign up for free and download now.)

12.    Stay away from the fridge! It is very tempting to keep making trips to the fridge for snacks. For those already susceptible to it, there is also a real risk of comfort eating as our anxiety levels rise. So we need to be self-aware and plan your food for the day. You may need to snack so replace the sodas and coffees with water and the biscuits and cakes with fruits and health bars.   

13.    Allocate time to social networking There is no need to completely cut ourselves off from the world because we are working from home and advise to maintain social distance from others. Use the opportunity to update your social networking profiles and stay in touch with your network. Make an effort to reach out to people within your network to see how they are doing and to see what support and advice you can offer to them at this time. They will appreciate the gesture. 

14.    Do take the time to call people maintaining physical distance does not mean not speaking to people. Take the time to get back in touch with people and reconnect. 

15.    Time to log off Make sure to clock out when your working day is over. One of the challenges of working from home is the risk of burn out for those that enjoy their work. It would be best if you stopped working at a reasonable time so you can avoid burnout. 

16.    Stay safe online Most companies have policies around how to keep their data safe while working from home. Please familiarise yourself with these and also be vigilant about sharing your information online. 

17.    Find an online work buddy You can find someone to check-in in with and work alongside with even if it is remotely. This person will provide the motivation and accountability you need to get up and dressed ready to put in a full day’s work. 

18.    Get organised and ready Make the most of the time and get on top of any admin that you have been avoiding. Once the travel ban is lifted, and business resumes as usual, it will be hectic as we all try to make up for the lost time and to achieve targets. So use the opportunity to catch up on your workload and get your things in order. 

19.    Journal it It is a time of increased uncertainty, anxiety and stress for everyone, so I think it is vital that you have some tools to help you cope. Keeping a journal of your day and emotions will help you offload some of that stress. This practice of journaling will help you make sense of some of the way you are feeling and also help you cope better. 

20.    Ask for help There is nothing like being able to talk to people and to put a face to the voice.  Do not hesitate to ask to speak to someone one whether informally or professionally if you need help to deal with the uncertainty of the times. Strong people know when to ask for help, so don’t hesitate to ask for help.

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