Working in Lockdown; Adapting to the new normal

Written by Rachel White, Planning Consultant

With yesterday’s announcement of an extended lockdown, it seems pertinent to write about how we’re adapting to this ‘new normal’.  There is no denying that we are living through surreal times. You only have to turn on the radio or check social media to be inundated with bulletins about the current state of affairs. The effects of the pandemic are far reaching, with everyone affected in some way or another whether this be financially, logistically or emotionally.  It is unlikely that our generation will ever experience such change and uncertainty again. Yet despite this, we are successfully adapting. The property sector, and all of those working within it, are evolving and creating new ways to continue delivering high quality work and contributions to the sector. And the majority of these solutions are evolving remotely.

As a young professional working for a dynamic and flexible consultancy, home working was an arrangement I was familiar with prior to Covid-19. Whilst I may have spent the occasional day working from my living room, adapting to full time home working certainly comes with both challenges and opportunities. Since Boris Johnson’s initial advice to ‘stay at home’ on the 16th March I have completely overhauled my working arrangements. The kitchen is now my office and I am managing to successfully submit planning applications, advise clients and even engage in CPDs from the comfort of my home. How did I make this transition? I have outlined my  top tips for adapting to home working below.

Routine, routine, routine!

I am a creature of habit. Ordinarily I never go anywhere without my diary and always have my days and weekends planned out with social events, sporting activities and fitness. I thrive off structure so adapting to home working has its challenges in this regard. For me, I have found that introducing a routine to my day allows me to maintain some ‘normality’ and allows me to distinguish between work and down time more easily.

I set an alarm and practice good morning habits. This usually comprises some form of exercise followed by breakfast and a cup of tea with my boyfriend to discuss the day ahead. Doing this enables me to begin the working day with a clear head.

I always take a lunch break and try to go outside for some fresh air. Often this is just 10 minutes in the garden with my lunch but it’s enough to provide a mind break. At the end of the day I make a conscious effort to do something non-work related, whether this be a walk, catching up with a friend (over FaceTime of course) or playing a game, I’ve found that this can help me relax into the evening more easily.

Establish a good working space

Many of us will be adapting to not only working from home, but also new or different living arrangements. Whether that be staying with friends in a shared house, back with parents or family or staying with a partner it all takes adaptation. Trying to organise yourself in an unfamiliar environment can have its challenges. However, one of the first things I did when I started working at home was to set myself up with a good work station. Having this set space allows me to draw boundaries around my working day and shows others in the house that when I’m occupying that space I’m in ‘work mode’. At the end of the day, coming away from that space and properly switching off allows for that distinction between work and home which can be harder to find when your commute is walking from the study to the kitchen!

Continue socialising

Whilst we can’t physically socialise at the moment, this doesn’t mean that our social lives should be put on hold. Ordinarily I work in a very happy, friendly and fun office environment. We may be physically distant, but we’ve all made a conscious effort to engage on a social level. Most phone calls, whilst usually about work related matters, generally begin with a good catch up as you would ordinarily do in the office. We’ve introduced office quizzes as well as WhatsApp groups and team messaging. All of these interventions allow for the usual office chat to continue and can make you feel less alone whilst working remotely.

Engage in CPDs, online content and other opportunities;

The amount of online content and information being produced at the moment is immense. Everyone is going above and beyond to continue to engage digitally and there are so many opportunities to continue learning in this time. I have been involved in a number of CPD sessions which have been held over Zoom as well as registering for webinars giving legal and policy updates. Signing up for these events not only allows you to enhance your knowledge base, but they can often give a dynamic addition to your day and allow you to engage with others in the profession.

As an office we have been attending, albeit virtually, a variety of events and then feeding back to the wider team at our weekly meetings to ensure that everyone benefits from the information.

As well as engaging with online content, I have also taken on new roles within my current job. I’m managing our website to ensure that project successes and interesting thought pieces continue to be published at this time.

Limit your digital consumption

Whilst there is so much valuable online content available, both related to work and in the wild world of social media, striking a balance is needed at this time otherwise it can be difficult to properly disconnect and switch off. We all recognise the importance of keeping up to date with the news and current affairs, but I for one can find the continuous updates overwhelming. As a result I have introduced a ‘news quota’. I listen to the headlines in the morning and evening and then fill my day with alternative listening material to strike a balance.

When catching up with friends I make a conscious effort to pick up the phone and have a proper conversation instead of disjointed messages flying back and forth.

Be kind to yourself

Finally, and probably most importantly, we all need to be kind to ourselves at this time. We have never lived through a global pandemic, or national lockdown, or full time home working so expecting everything to tick along as normal is unrealistic. It’s OK to find this difficult to adapt to. It’s OK to not be your most productive and it’s OK to find the whole situation overwhelming. Finding your balance and working out a structure that works for both you and your employer is vital and will undoubtedly yield the best results both personally and professionally.