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Working from home – The Threesiders guide to keeping well

Blog by September 27, 2021

The Threesides team has been hard at work in our homes, and what better way to lead by example than to share our tips and tricks with you as we continue to work from home during lockdown in the ACT. Following an informative Lunch & Learn session led by our Kailey, we wanted to dive deeper into what kind of strategies are helping us stay active, healthy, and positive during lockdown. Using the well known Wellness Wheel as a guide we got together as a team virtually and collected a range of tips relating to each dimension of the wheel. Below is what we came up with, hope you enjoy reading and getting inspiration from our ideas.

Physical

Financial

  • Take a closer look at your finances and track your spending; set a savings goal; build a budget with helpful apps like MoneyBrilliant.
  • Build your financial literacy and skills with books and podcasts. Here are a few suggestions to get you started:
    • Barefoot Investor, Scott Pape (book).
    • Money School, Lacey Filipich (book).
    • The Property Pals (podcast).

Recreational

Recreational refers to the hobbies and interests we do in our downtime. It’s important to prioritise these so we feel like we’re also having some fun in lockdown, in the ways that are possible.

  • Learn a new skill: Skillshare, Coursera, Udemy, Masterclass, or YouTube are some great online resources.
  • Get crafty and creative. Now you’ve got time to finally get to that photo album you’ve been meaning to fill with photographic memories and if you want an easy way check out photo books at Chatbooks.
  • Embrace your inner foodie and learn a new recipe.
  • Create/maintain a garden in your yard, or build a herb garden on the balcony if you have an apartment.
  • Learn/practise an instrument (Rachel has been playing the guitar!).
  • Try a new sport with a soccer ball or football at your local oval.
  • Clay at home: DIY pottery kits! Ruby recently gave this a try and loved the experience.
  • Create and test video content: e.g. Ruby’s TikTok and Instagram project, @HomeSoHomely.

Social

How we connect with others in this time can take many forms. While we can only catch up face-to-face for a walk and talk or picnic in the park, for our Sydney team members, we’ve found creative ways to have fun together over Teams.

  • Challenge your friends and family with virtual games: Kahoot, Garctic games, Houseparty.
  • Phone/video calls with people you miss. This is a reminder to call your grandmother.
  • Start a book or TV show club. What are you watching that you’d love to share with others?
  • Learn a new skill online with a friend or family member. Kailey and Claudia are currently looking into learning AUSLAN online.

Mental

Learning, growing, and staying engaged can help your mental health during this time, especially while a lot of our regular activities are limited.

  • Develop your reading habit – even if it’s 30 minutes before bedtime, set some time aside to dive into that book you’ve been meaning to start.
  • Avoid news overload. Watching COVID news every morning is not always a productive activity and can leave you feeling anxious. Did you know ABC News app has a tab at the top to let you select Non-COVID News feed?
  • Mindfulness and meditation. You can try meditation with these apps: Smiling Mind, Headspace Mindfulness, The Free Mindfulness Project.
  • Seek help if you’re feeling down: Lifeline, Beyond Blue and the Black Dog Institute have helpful online resources.
  • Check in with friends and family: R U OK?

Spiritual

While in lockdown, we have an opportunity for reflection, to feed the soul, and strive for self-actualisation. You might want to explore:

Environmental

Creating spaces in your home that nurture you, bring you joy, or feel comforting during lockdown is all about making your space work for you, and influence you positively.

  • Change your lightbulbs (warm lights for creativity, cooler lights for concentration).
  • Embrace but control natural light if possible.
  • Consider a DIY project – a new garden bed, painting, tiling, or whatever else needs to be done around the house.
  • Separate your workspace from home spaces if possible.
  • Declutter (noting you may not be able to visit the tip, charity stores, or recycling centres).
  • Houzz – How to Design a Home that Boosts Wellbeing.

Occupational

During this time, you might have some extra time to nurture your professional self and work on the development of your career. Consider:

  • Being honest with your manager about how you’re feeling, where you’re at with your workload and plan your calendar to reflect your capacity.
  • Take a break when you need it so you can ease into the day and prioritise when you’re feeling motivated and inspired. For most people, this occurs at different times of the day – so be mindful of when that is for you.
  • Maintain your work/life balance and schedule personal time at the end of your workday. Clear your head by going for a walk with a friend, catching up over FaceTime, or spending time doing your hobby of choice.

There you have it; a comprehensive guide to being your best self, even in circumstances that aren’t idea. If you’ve enjoyed this post, you should let us know what you’ve been doing to keep yourself healthy during lockdown.

XX The Threesides Team