By Evie Porter, Account Manager
Here at GingerComms, we’ve all been working from home for nearly two weeks, following government guidelines amid the Covid 19 pandemic. We hope everyone is doing ok, keeping as healthy as possible and practising social distancing.
We know how difficult it can be to set up an effective WFH routine – believe me, we’ve all had our ups and downs with this! But most of the Ginger team have now found a way to implement a good daily routine – to help us stay motivated and remaining connected to each other – particularly important for anyone who works in the comms industry.
In fact, we’ve put together our top tips for working from home, admittedly, many of which we’ve learnt the hard way! We hope you find these useful – let us know if you have any tips to share with us on via Twitter – @gingercomms
1. Get up at the same time every day
It’s only too easy to roll out of bed ten minutes before you’re due to start work – which gets awkward if you’re half asleep and trying to respond to a client, or are asked to join a last minute video call and are still dressed in your pyjamas. Making sure you wake up and have enough time to get ready for the day, as you would do if you were going into the office, will help you feel better and more motivated. Keep in mind how quickly things can change in PR, and therefore how prepared we still need to be for our clients even though we’re working from home. So save enough time to have a shower, make a delicious breakfast and plan your working day properly.
2. Exercise regularly
We get it – it’s hard to be motivated to work out right now. We’re all confined to our one outdoor exercise routine a day, and all the gyms and studios we’d be going to have closed their doors. But taking the time to get moving – even if it’s just a little! – will help lift your mood and keep your body feeling healthy.
Some of us have been going out for walks in the morning or lunchtime – remembering the social distancing guidelines of course – while others have been trying new fitness challenges, like the 21 day pilates challenge. A great choice for parents is Joe Wickes’ daily PE session for children – we’ve been loving this one to keep the whole family healthy and feeling good.
3. Eat well
It’s difficult with all the stockpiling going on. We hope the people sitting on 80 tins of chopped tomatoes and 20 kg of pasta are happy with themselves! But as much as you can, try to eat healthy, regular meals, incorporating as many fresh or frozen fruit and veggies as possible. Try to use up all your leftovers in the fridge to avoid food waste – a great way to get some inspiration is using apps like SideChef, where you can search for recipes using a specific ingredient to help you use what you have available. And chefs like Jamie Oliver are also great at creating meals which use only a small number of ingredients.
Also – since it’s an anxious time, make sure you stock up on some of your favourite snacks, whether that’s a bag of mini eggs, a packet of crisps or a tub of ice cream. These things are all part of a balanced diet and it’s important to treat yourself now and again.
4. Check in with others
Working in PR we’re all naturally very social! While it’s difficult working in a quieter environment, we’ve been loving our regular team video calls. Not only can we discuss work more easily than over email, it also gives us an opportunity to check in with each other and offer support. And we would recommend an app like House Party – perfect for getting getting your team together for after work drinks, a part of working in a PR office we’ve found difficult to part with!
Plus, now more than ever is the time to support your community. So part of your WFH routine should be checking in on elderly or vulnerable neighbours, offering them your support and being there for a phone call if needed.
5. Relax!
Now is the opportunity to take the time you need to relax at home. Working in comms we’re used to always being on the go, so this is a great time to actually slow down a little. Enjoy a hot bath, a daily meditation routine, whatever helps you unwind indoors at this time. And it’s also a great excuse to start reading that stack of books you promised you’d read at the start of the year, binge on some Netflix and watch your bucket list of films. Trying to find the silver lining in having to self isolate will make it a little easier to get through this all together.
From all of us at GingerComms, we hope you’re keeping healthy and safe, and that our WFH guide helps beat those corona blues.