Quarantine, Quarantine, Quarantine! In the last few weeks we have all become familiar with the word and the saying - thanks Tory! First and foremost, Team Velviere hope all our patrons and their loved ones are safe and healthy in these difficult circumstances. 

In times like this its easy for us to lose ourselves as we get cooped up indoors and lose track of our days, but here are a few tips that have helped us cope with these trying times.

1. Personal wellbeing

Do everything in moderation, which includes work, rest, food and exercise. Exercising and keeping fit whilst gyms are closed might seem daunting, but with the wonders of technology we’ve come across a few of our faves who have been putting in the time to ensure we have our calorie count ticked! Whatever your level, @Xtinaao_ and @Just_Geen have you covered, you can find their daily sessions on Instagram. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eating well should be easier than ever with most fast food places closed, instead of going on Deliveroo get your self-acquainted with your kitchen and find your inner Gordon Ramsey. I’ve found myself in the kitchen more often this past few weeks experimenting with new dishes and tagging friends in a range of cooking challenges. 

 

 

If you’re a novice in the kitchen, like some of the other members of Team Velviere, there are a host of great instagram pages to follow for tutorials and recipes such as Luke Selby, Francesco Mazzei and Gizzie Erskine. 

 

 

The very best, however is ‘Crème de la crumb’ – www.cremedelacrumb.com- simple, fun and the host is great, check out his twitter - @milktpapi - he makes each recipe seem so effortless

 

 

2. Your Network

A lot of companies have implemented daily calls to keep on track with work, but also to keep in contact with staff. This is all part of corporate responsibility. This is a principle we should all apply to our loved ones also. Not being able to meet your loved ones should not be an excuse to be absent. Call, Text, IM, DM, FaceTime (warn them beforehand) Houseparty (is this still a thing?!) whatever medium you choose to use, this a perfect time to touch base with family and friends. 

 Some of my groupchats have even implemented group quizzes via Zoom…. You’ll be surprised how much you’ll have. 

3. Work Work Work

For those that are still working, it may be hard to replicate normal productivity but by adding some structure to our days we can reduce the stress and headache that comes with turning your home space to your work station. 

Personally, I am not a fan of rolling out of bed and logging in to a call. Start your day like you would if you were in the office, swap your commute for an early morning stretching session - we advise kicking your day off with @amvrcoaching on instagram – his daily 7:45am sessions are amazing. 

 

Structure your day and workload. Set yourself deadlines so you don’t find yourself working well into the evening, take breaks from the laptop,  and plan what you want for dinner earlier in the day, so that you can utilise these breaks to prep.

Create a working environment for yourself - working from bed was great in week 1, on the whole it is a very bad idea. We advise working from the living room or the study if you can, preferably from a table or a stand to help with posture and focus. Music has been proven to help. We suggest something light and soothing for background music…. that means no Doja Cat.

Get the work done. Unfortunately in perilous times like this, staff cuts are at the forefront of manager’s thoughts. Make sure you complete your work and maintain the standards you kept whilst prior to lockdown. Make sure you constantly report back to your manager on what you are doing. Reduce your chances of being taken by surprise by maintaining good communication. 

4. Personal Development 

With all the time we now have this is a perfect opportunity to up skill or learn a new skill altogether. From a professional perspective, many course operators (Udemy, Fitch Learning) are doing virtual tutorials, some reduced, and this is the time to take advantage. When lockdown is over the recruitment market will be a manic, but with the new skills learned within this, it will afford you the opportunity to stand out amongst other candidates. 

Away from work many people have used this time to pick up a new hobby, I myself have started to bake, and picked up running and cycling in my allotted hour.

 

Pick a hobby that will engage you, push yourself, you will be surprised. Now is the time to do the things you always wanted to, but never had the time. Whatever you do in lockdown please stay safe, and remember this won’t last forever! How have you been coping with Quarantine? Let us know in the comments