Keeping Busy, Healthy & Active During Furlough

How is everyone who has been furloughed coping?

Like many businesses we have had to furlough a portion of our staff over the past month. I thought we’d put the question out to them to share their thoughts on how best to cope with the situation. We hope it helps!

Here’s the advice from our furloughed team members:

Stay Structured

“Keeping a day plan going has been key to me keeping sane while on furlough. I made a list of things I need to do around the house, as well as webinars and learning courses I wanted to attend, and then planned my month in advance. It was a great way to stay productive give me the sense of progression that I thought I’d lost after being furloughed. It also helps me keep track of what day of the week it is and stops them all merging into one!”

“Making sure you have a good plan is a big piece of advice I’d give, just as you would for an ordinary day at work. Structure it into sections that ensure you keep on top of your health and off the sofa! Make sure you leave time for personal growth and development as well.”

“Stick to a routine, otherwise you’ll fester. Plan your days but try not to do too many things at once, otherwise you’ll end up getting nothing done.”

Keep Learning & Improving

“Push yourself to learn new things, the sense of regret at the end of the day if you haven’t done anything productive is not worth it.”

“Use the time you’ve got to draw a process map of your job. It’ll help you plan for areas where you’d like to improve or learn new skills as well as come up with new ideas to add more value at every stage.”

“Get on as many webinars as you can, there are loads of valuable ones going on now. Make sure you take more notes than normal though, with them all taking place in your bedroom it’s very easy for them all to merge into one.”

Keep Healthy

“One of the big things for me was doing my workout routine as soon as I’m out of bed, it boosts my energy and stops me from feeling lazy and unmotivated all day.”

“Jogging isn’t just for exercise, it’s also a great way to clear your head.”

“Making plans for when this is all over is really helpful mentally. List down the things you want to do like a holiday and regular meetings with friends. Also, it’s a good idea to plan how you’re going to get up and running back at work again.”

Stay Connected

“Keep in touch with your work colleagues, we’ve started a weekly poker night which has been great.”

“Speak to as many people as possible. I’ve never spoken to my family and friends so much, it’s been great!”

“Keep talking to your line manager, you’ll be able to keep up to date with what’s happening at work and also share ideas and plan for the future.”

Enjoy It

“Enjoy taking time while doing things, it’s been really nice to take life at a slower pace.”

“I’ve made meat rubs for my BBQ, they were delicious!”

“I’ve made a few quizzes for my family and friends, they’ve been really fun and it’s been a great way of keeping everyone connected.”

But maintain self-discipline

“Chores first, rewards second.”

“Do not let boredom take control of your bank account… I now own a leaf blower because it was the world’s smallest one…”

“Limit yourself on time spent on the PlayStation, use it as a reward for keeping mentally and physically active.”