Health Tips for Life and Work During the COVID-19 Lockdown

At Magenta Security, our operational staff are working from home where their roles allow it, while our security guards continue to protect people and places across the country. We are immensely proud of the entire Magenta Security team, especially those who put themselves at risk to keep others safe.

For a company to successfully adapt to operating under lockdown conditions, it must first and foremost look after the wellbeing of their staff. Below, you will find advice that we have compiled from the World Health Organisation, NHS, mental health charities and our own experiences of living and working while maintaining social distancing.

Our advice is presented in distinct sections on mental health, physical health and work but, in reality, they all effect one another. Taking a holistic view of your health will help you make it through these challenging times.

Five tips for looking after your mental health during lockdown

1. Keep regular contact with friends and family. Social isolation is known to be detrimental to mental health and sense of identity. Schedule in video calls with the people you would usually see in person to help you lift your spirits and share your feelings.
2. Minimise engagement with the news if it is making you feel anxious. Schedule set times to check for updates and take practical steps to protect yourself and your loved ones rather than worry about what you cannot change.
3. Provide help to your loved ones, neighbours or community. Helping people can keep you busy, give you a sense of purpose and connect you to others. Check in on friends, host an online class or offer services to vulnerable people.
4. Maintain your schedule as much as possible. Without our usual cues, it is easy to slip into bad habits such as sleeping late or skipping meals. Set and stick to times for sleeping, eating, working, exercise and leisure.
5. Be kind to yourself and accept failings. This is a difficult time for everyone and you should not expect yourself to be as happy and productive as you normally would. Forgive yourself when you do not live up to your usual standards.

Five tips for looking after your physical health during lockdown

1. Exercise every day. You may no longer have access to a gym, but a full body workout can be achieved using body weight alone, while free weights and resistance bands can provide further options without cluttering your home. If nothing else, a daily 30 minute walk is proven to significantly improve both physical and mental health.
2. Follow an exercise programme. Whether you are exercising at home or running in your park, following a programme from a trusted source is important to prevent injury. Many trainers offer advice via video call.
3. Maintain a regular sleeping pattern. Without external stimuli, people typically start to sleep later and later. Make sure you continue to get your full eight hours and wake up at a reasonable time.
4. Eat a healthy, balanced diet. It is easy to develop bad eating habits during lockdown, such as skipping meals or overeating. Monitor what you are eating and how often and stock up on fresh fruits and vegetables whenever available.
5. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! Drinking water is often habitual, so when our usual routine is broken, our water intake can drop without us noticing. Keep a water bottle with you at all times so you can continue to drink your recommended amount

Five tips for working during lockdown

1. Separate your work and leisure spaces. If you are working from home, dedicate an area for work and another for relaxation to create a physical and mental distinction between the two. Avoid the temptation to work from bed.
2. Attend online social events with colleagues. Maintaining team bonds can be challenging during lockdown, so arrange events such as online quizzes or movie nights to keep a sense of camaraderie.
3. Do not start work immediately after waking up. You may no longer have to commute, but you should still have at least an hour between waking and working to enjoy some leisure time and start your day positively.
4. Break up your day. Don’t skip your lunch break just because you are at home. Get away from your screen and go for a walk, sit in the garden, read a book or whatever else will refresh your mind and body.
5. Follow precautions if you are continuing to work. Key workers are understandably concerned about the risks of catching COVID-19 on their commute or at work. Follow the current advice to protect yourself and ease your worries. Do not hesitate to ask someone to move away from you if they are not adhering to social distancing.

We hope our advice will help you to live and work healthily under lockdown. If you or someone you know is finding life difficult at the moment, we recommend the following resources for further information and guidance:

COVID-19 wellbeing guidance from Public Health England

Lockdown mental health advice from Mind

Article on COVID-19 and mental health from the World Health Organisation