Apr20

How to Cope with the Effects of Social Isolation

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How to Cope with the Effects of Social Isolation

The global pandemic has all of us on edge and facing stress and uncertainty. Many of us are cooped up at home, only sporadically going out to get supplies or other essentials. Many who are new to the working from home environment might start to feel “cabin fever as the social isolation is starting to set in. 

What are the vest coping strategies to cope with this period of isolation? Here are a few tips:

Stick to a schedule.

Even though you are at home, there has to be some structure to your day. Block off a regular time slot for work and for personal self-care activities like exercise and relaxation. Start the day with a routine. Your day might start by doing some light exercise, doing some meditation, eating breakfast, and taking a shower. Resist the temptation to work in your pajamas and put effort into dressing up for work. 

Stay active, move!

Speaking of doing some light exercise try to stay active while doing self-quarantine. Not everyone has a treadmill at home, and you’re lucky if you have one or any form of exercise machine at home. However, you can always go to youtube for exercise inspiration that would not require any exercise equipment. Some exercise uses bodyweight instead of specialized equipment. You can even improvise by using ordinary household items, like water bottles or cans, instead of weights. 

Stay connected.

The only way to combat isolation is to stay connected. Although you won’t be able to visit friends or family during these times, you can always use technology to keep in touch. Call a friend and ask them how they are doing. Call your parents and ask if they need anything. Teach your older friends or family members to use video conferencing services. That in itself is a fun activity and is bound to make everyone laugh. Have text or instant messaging breaks in a day. Respond to social media posts or posts your own insights or funny/inspirational pictures.

Self-care, always.

Create a list of go-to self-care activities that you know are sure to lift your spirits. This will be your go-to list for the bad days or even when you just need a quick pick me up. Master a recipe or explore a new one. Play with your pets. Take a long hot bath. Start a new book. Learn to knit or sew. Create things with your hands. Start a writing project or an art project. Make like Marie Kondo and clean out your closet. Start a jigsaw puzzle. Do yoga. Watch a funny series or some kid’s cartoons. Find ways to keep yourself occupied or embrace alone time. Whatever your go-to self-care activity is, always show compassion and kindness for yourself. We are all experiencing anxiety to some degree. Know that you are not alone in this.

What are your tips on how to combat the feeling of isolation? Let us know in the comments. Remember to work smart and be a blessing to someone today. Stay safe and healthy!

Written by Jaie O. TheHelp

Apr14

Coronavirus Quarantine Preparations Part 5: How to stay optimistic and resilient in the face of uncertainty

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Coronavirus Quarantine Preparations Part 5: How to stay optimistic and resilient in the face of uncertainty

Many of us are experiencing anxiety over the uncertainty that the next few days will bring. Not even the world’s health expert can say for sure how the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is going to affect us in the foreseeable future. This is why a lot of us are struggling with keeping our mental health and our optimism in check.

Our brains like predictability and order. Which is why we look for patterns, rhythms, and routine. When we go out of this comfort zone, our brain perceives this as a threat and tells our body to go into stress response mode. We feel agitated and on high alert because our body responds as though it is under attack.

We might feel worried, short-tempered, distracted, unable to focus, temperamental, or scared. We might even exhibit physical symptoms like insomnia, muscle aches, headaches, faster heartbeat, tension, neck pains, etc. All of which are stress responses. It’s our mind and body going through its fight or flight programming in response to stress.

We won’t be able to cure uncertainty for we will never know what the future holds. However, there are some things that we can control. We can teach our brain to actually reframe our way of thinking and create a few strategies to build resilience and keep our focus.

Rest
Restful sleep is the first thing to go when your mind is full of worry. However, rest is essential in order to boost your resilience. A well-rested mind and body is more equipped to combat stress than a tired one. Make sure to prioritize sleep by working out how many hours of sleep you need to feel well-rested and then make that a daily target.

Move
Outdoor activities may be hard to come by when you’re in quarantine or self-isolation. However, there are exercise videos on youtube that you can move along to. There are also a lot of movement apps that you can follow along. A few things you can do at home include yoga, Zumba, Kinect games (if you have an Xbox Kinect), bodyweight exercises, jump rope, etc. If you’re lucky enough to live in a neighborhood where outdoor exercises can be done while still practicing social distancing, then go for a quick run, hike, or even walk the dog. Exercise will help you release those valuable feel-good hormones called endorphins. You will need that so that you can stay resilient and optimistic.

Connect
For the sake of our mental health, all of us need to feel that we are part of something greater than ourselves. Our sense of belonging and of the community suffers when we put ourselves in quarantine or self-isolation. This is why we have to stay connected. Schedule calls to family and friends. Commit to giving back to your community. Find ways to help out, even from your homes. You can donate, help organize a feeding program, purchase and send protective gear to frontliners. Thinking of others helps build resilience, and being able to help creates optimism and spreads hope. We all need those during these dark and uncertain times.

What are your tips to stay optimistic and resilient? Let us know in the comments. Remember to work smart and be a blessing to someone today. Stay safe and healthy!

Written by Jaie O. TheHelp

Apr6

Coronavirus Quarantine Preparations Part 4: How can Employers Support their Workforce?

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Coronavirus Quarantine Preparations Part 4: How can Employers Support their Workforce?

The Covid19 Coronavirus is spreading fast and has reached global pandemic levels. It doesn’t look like it’s going to let up anytime soon and more and more countries go on nationwide lockdown. To mitigate the spread of the virus, the most sensible precaution is to self-quarantine and practice social distancing. So for everyone’s health, working from home is going to be the new normal.

This is why a lot of businesses are encouraging their employees to work from home. Not a lot of businesses have the capacity to allow their workforce to work remotely though. So some might be making huge adjustments to the work from home setup. 

To keep the economy running, the workforce has to be operational. For employers, it has to be business as usual. That means adapting to online ways of working and taking steps to support a remote working workforce. 

While running a team from home, employers need to evaluate and recalibrate their remote working strategy. From time to time. Plan to do regular “health checks” to see if your business continuity plan is still aligned and working. Do you need to assess your readiness for supporting work from home employees? Here are a few questions to ask:

How are the employees working from home?

  • Do they have the devices that will enable them to work from home? (laptops, smartphones, tablets, etc)
  • Do they have the correct digital tools? (Enterprise apps, Learning systems, Collaboration suites, etc.)
  • Do they have a dedicated workspace or are they just making do with working off a side table? (Quiet space, spare room, etc.)
  • Do they have a stable network? (Hardwired internet connection, mobile data, etc.)

What else do they need?

  • Send out an online survey (which they can complete before a deadline)
  • Send them private feedback forms (which they can choose to answer anonymously)
  • Encourage them to send real-time messages for suggestions on how you can help them

How do we improve collaboration?

  • Use project tracking and management tools (Wrike, Trello, Zoho Projects, MS 0365, etc.) and make sure to invest in the right collaboration software (one that doesn’t have a steep learning curve and is practical for the company – in short, you don’t need all the bells and whistles of collaboration software so carefully consider the features you need)
  • Encourage innovation and idea-sharing 
  • Deploy Subject Matter Experts to teams 
  • Use a common language (especially if you work with different departments or lines of business)
  • Encourage real-time project updates and feedback
  • Celebrate wins, big or small
  • Facilitate continuous communication (instant messaging or video conferencing)

How do we improve communication?

  • Encourage feedback and discussion (now is the time to over-communicate, not only to keep the workforce focused and productive, but also to encourage social contact – it can get lonely in self-quarantine sometimes)
  • Use the right tools (small business unified comms like Office 365, Slack, Zoho Meeting, BlueJeans, Zoom, GoToMeeting, Google Hangouts, etc.)
  • Hold regular meetings (morning check-ins, water cooler discussions, end of day virtual huddles, etc.)

How are you supporting your work from home team? Let us know in the comments. Remember to work smart and be a blessing to someone today. Stay safe and healthy!

Written by Jaie O. TheHelp

Filed under Administrative Support | Comments Off on Coronavirus Quarantine Preparations Part 4: How can Employers Support their Workforce?
Mar30

Coronavirus Quarantine Preparations Part 3: How to Stay Healthy While Working from Home

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Coronavirus Quarantine Preparations Part 3: How to Stay Healthy While Working from Home

As the pandemic situation worsens, a lot of employees are being told to work from home to limit social interaction and help #flattenthecurve. While many of us are taking vitamins and boosting our immune system like crazy, we might forget that our mental health is also important.

Our health can take a downturn when we’re cooped up in a house for a long period of time. We are social creatures, and keeping a social distance is highly unnatural for us. However, it is essential during these times. In this light, here are some important mental health practices that you can do while you’re on self-quarantine:

Setting a schedule and taking breaks
Now that most of us are working from home, it could be hard to draw the line between work and personal time. The line where work ends and your personal time begins can be blurry. It is extremely important for you to assign a “core schedule”. This is a period of time where you start work and stop working (for example 9am to 6pm). Stick to this work schedule as much as you can. Set yourself an alarm for a “hard-stop” where you must walk away from work and leave it for tomorrow.

Remember to schedule breaks throughout your workday. Just like on-site work, two 15 minute breaks and a lunch break can refresh your body and mind and improve your productivity and focus.

Sleep
The blurry boundaries between work and personal time can wreak havoc on your sleep schedule. You might not be able to leave your work stress at the office because home is now the office. To combat this, you must practice proper sleep hygiene. Studies show that having a consistent routine of waking up and going to bed at the same time each day, helps regulate your sleep schedule. Also, don’t work from your bedroom so that you don’t associate it with work. Have a separate work area. You’re also probably chugging a lot of coffee so watch your caffeine consumption. Experts advise to stop drinking coffee at least seven hours before bed.

Exercise and fitness
It is scientifically proven that too much sitting can lead to a lot of health complications. So, try to pencil in workouts into your work from home schedule. Take advantage of online workout classes. Don’t forget to set yourself a reminder to get up and stretch once every hour.

Stock your pantry with healthy snacks and meals. You can’t go wrong with leafy greens, whole grains, and fresh fruits and veggies. Stock up on foods that are fortified with vitamins A, B, C, and minerals Selenium and Zinc. Take note that you cannot get Vit D from supplements. You can only get it through sun exposure which could be extra challenging when you’re cooped up at home. If feasible, open a sunny window for a few minutes to get some sun exposure.

How do you stay healthy during a lockdown? We’d love to hear your staying healthy tips. Let us know in the comments. Remember to work smart and be a blessing to someone today. Stay safe and healthy!

Written by Jaie O. TheHelp

Mar23

Coronavirus Quarantine Preparations Part 2: What You Need To Know To Start Working From Home

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Coronavirus Quarantine Preparations Part 2: What You Need To Know To Start Working From Home

The global pandemic has now affected the way we work. Since major cities encourage self-quarantine, many employees have, by now, been given the go signal by their employers to start working from home in order to practice social distancing. 

Now, a lot of on-site workers are very excited to experience the comforts of working from home and the schedule flexibility that comes with it. Little do they know that it takes more than bringing home a laptop to get the hang of working from home. You are going to need self-discipline and laser focus to stay away from the 3 WFH temptations: the fridge, the bed, and the tv.

Kidding aside, on-site workers are going to have to get used to a few changes in their daily routine. While a work from home set up offers more time since daily prep and commute are taken out of the equation, remote workers might just find themselves trying to fill that void with activities to keep them “busy for the sake of being busy”.

If you’re new to working from home, here are a few things you should know:

You have to get into the right mindset 

Many people have this idea that remote workers lounge all day in their pajamas and work off of their kitchen tables. This is not true. When you work from home, you have to make the mental shift from personal time, to work time. That means dressing up for work and having a designated workspace. 

Create a workspace

As mentioned, a dedicated workspace is important for you to be able to get into a productive and focused mindset. That means not working from your bed or off the kitchen table. If you have the space, plan to set up a home office. If not, designate a quiet and clutter-free space away from distractions.

Have a core schedule

The topmost complaint of remote workers is that they have a hard time unplugging from work. This is because when you work where you live, it’s hard to know when your shift ends and your personal time starts. Those lines blur at times when you’re too busy to notice. This is why it is important to stick to a routine and assign start and stop times for yourself. Set an alarm for a hard-stop and walk away from work. It can wait for another day.

Stay connected

Use technology to your advantage and stay connected with co-workers. Take note that chat and instant messages need an extra layer of clarity as people won’t be able to see your body language and hear your tone of voice. 

Have you just recently started working from home? How are you finding it so far? What tips can you give employees who are new to remote working? Let us know in the comments. Remember to work smart and be a blessing to someone today. Stay safe and healthy!

Written by Jaie O. TheHelp