{"id":13084,"date":"2020-03-11T16:05:53","date_gmt":"2020-03-11T16:05:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/oakwoodtrainin.wpengine.com\/?p=13084"},"modified":"2023-12-06T13:46:32","modified_gmt":"2023-12-06T13:46:32","slug":"coronavirus-and-my-wellbeing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.oakwoodtraining.co.uk\/coronavirus-and-my-wellbeing\/","title":{"rendered":"Coronavirus and my wellbeing"},"content":{"rendered":"

The spread of the coronavirus is a very worrying news for us all. Turn on the TV and we hear stories of people in self-isolation, border closures and, tragically, an escalating death toll among the vulnerable. <\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

You may have already been asked by your employer to limit travel, work from home or avoid other people, and you may be finding it harder than you first thought. <\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

For people already struggling with their mental health these stories and measures might exacerbate their condition<\/strong>, and potentially trigger issues in people who have, until now, lived mentally healthy lives.  <\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

Wall to wall news coverage and social media stories about empty supermarket shelves and national toilet roll and hand wash shortages don\u2019t help, and our overly stressed, risk detecting brains risk losing perspective.<\/strong><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

Being informed about developments is obviously very important but be careful where you look. The<\/span>\u202f<\/span>NHS coronavirus webpage<\/span><\/span><\/a>\u202fand\u202f<\/span>gov.uk coronavirus webpages<\/span><\/span><\/a> are the most up to date places, and although social media is great for staying in touch, maybe take a break or limit your scroll time.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

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Working at home<\/span> <\/span><\/h4>\n

It might sound brilliant but working from home is not without its pitfalls. For some, it’s great for their wellbeing, but others may feel isolated and un-supported. <\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

The things we used to leave at work have literally been brought home with us. The once peaceful sanctuary of the bedroom has now become the office; the email inbox constantly calling and nagging for your attention when you should be enjoying bath time with the kids.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

ACAS\u202f<\/span><\/span><\/a>have flagged potential issues or those working at home. They include: <\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

health and safety\u202f<\/span>problems (like lone working); communication and\u202f<\/strong><\/em><\/span>trust<\/span><\/strong><\/em>\u202fcan deteriorate when an employee rarely sees their manager; homeworkers can become\u202f<\/span>stressed<\/span>\u202fand find it\u202f<\/span><\/em><\/strong>hard to switch off<\/em><\/strong>,<\/span> can become\u202f<\/span>fatigued\/less productive<\/span> <\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Talk to your employer about how you\u2019ll be supported. <\/span> <\/span>It\u2019s a topic I\u2019ve talked about before and you can read more in my <\/span><\/span>Agile working post<\/span><\/span><\/a>. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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Working <\/span>at<\/span> home \u2013 with children<\/span> <\/span><\/h4>\n

If school closures go ahead many of us will find ourselves trying to carry on doing our normal day jobs whilst also caring for our children.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

My children are 9 and 7, I regularly work from home. I know how hard it is when they just want me to play, they don\u2019t really understand that Daddy is working. It\u2019s a tough balancing act. Speak to your employer about your family situation to see what would work best for you.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

A few things that may help\u2026<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n