Staying Healthy, Happy, and Productive during Lockdown

Part 1 / 3 in a “Working Remotely” Series

“We are facing unprecedented times” is a phrase you will have heard over and over again.

Some of us may have been struggling more than others with the concept of this lock down.

One of the reasons for this is that it comes down to what we call our “Locus of Control” — the degree to which people believe that they have control over events in their lives. For almost everyone, our “Locus of Control” may have shifted from believing that we are the ultimate controller’s of our lives, to realising that we may not be as in control of our lives as we once thought, through fear of the virus or the reduced affirmation of freedom created by the government-imposed distancing.

This is a sudden and odd psychological change for everyone.

It’s also an ongoing change. We are not just quickly adapting to a new one-time behaviour, but we are learning how to live with an entirely new way of life, learning new habits and routines to adapt to the changed heartbeat of our homes.

Yes it has been tough on all of us.

The communities that cemented and defined our identities have been put on hold as we try to keep their essence alive in the digital realm.

But to counterbalance this nihilistic tone, let me just tell you.. it is all still there.

The sense of community and togetherness is still there and stronger than ever….We just aren’t quite close enough to each other to quite reach it.

Our camaraderie and care for each other is manifesting itself in incredible ways:

• the NHS ovation has become a symbol of national pride and gratitude.
• the little Rainbows in windows on doors and front gates drawn by children give hope and spirit to people every day.
• The NHS asked for a 250,000 volunteers for their response to the virus and three quarters of a million answered the call.
• Captain Tom Moore set out to do 100 laps of his garden with the goal of raising a thousand pounds. At the time of writing this article he has raised almost £33 million for the NHS.
• Currently at the UK number one is the song “You Will Never Walk Alone”, a song about unity and support for others.
• The 5 for 5K challenge created by everyday people and going viral.

These are very real, very pure examples of our community, our sense of gratitude, unity and affection for each other. Created from the grassroots into a national symbol.

Those of us who know a bit of Behavioural Science will know about the Availability Bias — that the believed prevalence of something is directly related to the ease of which examples come to mind — and we are told every day about the current death toll and infection rate, the initial hoarding of supplies and lack of PPE. But just because we hear it less, doesn’t mean our love for each other and our community isn’t there and stronger than ever.

Never before have we had to adapt our lives on such a global scale. But bare with me, and let’s try look at this from a different lens… never before has the entire world been carrying out exactly the same behaviour. What this means is that we can empathise with each other on an “unprecedented” scale and can help ourselves and each other effectively with the right guides. And that due to the entire world carrying out this same behaviour …and i cannot stress this enough…we are all in this together.

So, without further ado, welcome to this three-part series of behavioural insights that have been researched and produced for the benefit of helping each and every one of us improve our lives during lock down, to become happier, healthier and more productive. So take these insights to make them your own and share them with anyone and everyone you feel may benefit.

Healthy (Part 1 of 3)

Humans are social beings. Interaction is incredibly important as it helps to keep our mental and physical health in peak condition, even boosts our immune system.

Stay connected — Follow the “2 Hour rule”

We are all missing each other and craving the connection we once had. If it’s been longer than 2 hours since you connected with someone, find a friend, family member colleague to reach out to, or even just to bounce your thoughts off of.

Work & Life — Try to separate work and life, in both environment and time.

For those of us still able to work from home it is important that we designate a specific space and time for work. Do your best to separate your work and home life so that your home can still be a place of restoration. Try not to work in bed or in your bedroom, as your brain will begin to associate this context with work instead of sleeping!

New Tricks — A time to start something.

Learning new things helps to break out of our normal patterns. Our brains crave stimulation and novelty, so challenge yourself to learn a skill or work on an existing talent to improve yourself and help keep your brain fresh!

Happy (Part 1 of 3)

Our happiness relies on looking after ourselves and our home, as well as maintaining meaningful relationships with others. Make sure to give enough time to Work, Rest and especially Play.

Unsocial Media — Connect meaningfully as often as possible to maintain relationships.

Make sure you see faces and hear voices. It’s so important as our brains react positively when seeing the faces of others, and it facilitates more meaningful conversations. Make video calling and phone calling your default means of communicating rather than text or social media. Believe me, it will make a world of difference.

“Own” Your Space — Take charge of your home space and create a daily routine.

Your locus of control is now within your home. Make small positive changes to your environment to help you feel more in control. Start by making your bed each morning, tidy the house, engage in a normal pre-work routine. Pack your work items away at the end of the day and take it away from your space of rest.

Get Physical — Exercise releases endorphins in our brains that makes us happier.

Get moving together. Create your own home workout from the hundreds of home exercises available and share it with others, or find a digital training partner and workout together.

Productive (Part 1 of 3)

For those of us lucky enough to be able to work from home, we need to create the right conditions to work effectively. Keeping up momentum and morale at home during the day is important to our work effectiveness and well being.

Set Expectations — Be clear on what will happen, when.

Agree on response times — in the office we can see if another person is busy or stressed, and we accept longer response times as a result. With home working we are less likely to spot this, so we need to over-communicate

Bleeps and Dings — Be aware of “virtual presenteeism”.

It’s not the fastest finger first. Don’t feel an increased need to show your colleagues that you’re working. We need to trust each other , and be accountable for our output and not for responding within the minute.

Written by: Jack Duddy, Consultant at Ogilvy Consulting’s Behavioural Science Practice

For additional perspective, please see: https://ogilvy.co.uk/news/ogilvy-managed-remote-working