Following the UK Government’s recent briefings updating the country on the continued fight against coronavirus, we as a nation have been adjusting to a new way of working due to the restrictions it poses.
At Perfectus Biomed, we have put measures in place to ensure the safety of our colleagues. Our office-based staff have been working from home for almost seven weeks whilst our laboratory-based colleagues have had their workstations modified to ensure a safe two metre distance at work.
Adjusting to a new everyday work environment, even in the comfort of our own home can be difficult, particularly as we find ourselves simultaneously juggling work, home schooling, and maintaining a healthy family life.
To ensure the well-being (and sanity!) of our home office colleagues we have introduced a ‘lock-down life’ coffee break every Friday afternoon to take time out, catch up and make each other smile.
During our first ‘lock-down life’ coffee break we asked everyone to share their top tips for surviving working from home. Here are just some of the great ideas our team have come with:
- Keep to your usual routine – start your day as you regularly would during the working week but use your commute time to have an extended breakfast with family. Let’s not take this time for granted.
- Take a morning fitness class – many gyms and YouTube channels offer virtual work out classes. Start or end your working day with some exercise to help you feel energised for the day ahead or sleep better at night.
- Find a space where you can stay focused – concentrate on priorities and be vigilant about reviewing your to-do lists. With more distraction than ever, be it children, pets, or the kettle; productivity will be a challenge from home. Set yourself realistic actions to check off each day.
- Take breaks – It can be easy to lose track of time with pressing work commitments and the demands of home schooling but it’s important to take a full lunch break that is all about relaxation. It is useful to remember all those lost lunch breaks when we just didn’t have the time.
- Get some fresh air – being at home can feel isolating. Take a walk at lunchtime on your own or with a member of your household. Time away from your screen can be a welcome break from a busy day.
- Call your loved ones – at the end of the day it is refreshing to pick up the phone and speak to a family member you haven’t seen in a while or a friend who lives alone. They are also faced with lock-down and they may need a supportive ear to help them through the day.
- Plan a fun weekend to look forward to – working from home can be a drain on your energy, even more so than being in the office. Make sure to plan a nice weekend but most importantly – plan to be at home. Enjoy fun activities in the garden, video calls to family, cook a new recipe or look forward to a film you haven’t seen before. Do something new or take up a new hobby. Treasure these moments indoors as extra personal time / family time is something we may have all craved before lock-down.
Our team will keep you posted on our ‘lock-down life’ journey over the coming weeks. We have lots of exciting coffee breaks planned to lift our moods that we can share with you and we hope you find some joy in our stories.
Should you have any tips to stay focused, we’d love to hear them. Follow our team at Perfectus Biomed on social media via LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram to share your ideas and keep up to date with our activities.