Make Your House A Home During COVID-19

The country appears to have turned a corner in the current COVID-19 pandemic. We’re out of lockdown and more and more of us are getting used to being back in the real world and are returning to the office. Here at Jordan & Halstead, we’re incredibly happy to be able to say that our offices are back open and ready for business! We continued working with our clients through the phone and over email, but nothing beats being able to speak with you face to face. 

As such, we’re all finally managing to spend a little less time at home than we have been over the last few months – which is certainly a welcome change! But the fact remains that even as we move into September and autumn, we’re all probably still spending a lot more time indoors inside our own home than we usually would. Not to mention that the uncertainty that is wrought by potential local lockdowns and the threat of a second wave of COVID-19. As such, it makes sense to still be thinking about how we can make our home a more enjoyable space in which to spend our time. 

We’ve spent a lot of time over the last few months trying to adapt the space in our home so that we can use it to both work and relax. This balance isn’t always easy to find! With that in mind, we thought we’d take a bit of time to give our tips for helping to make your house a home throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. 

1. Make sure you spend time away from technology

Whether you’re still remote working away from the office at home, splitting your time between the office and home, or anything else, it can certainly be difficult to switch off when you need to! Wherever you’re working at the moment, there’s a very good chance that you’re spending a lot of time behind a screen, using platforms like Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Google Hangouts for meetings and conversations with colleagues. 

For the good of your mental health and of keeping your daily routine disciplined enough so that you’re able to switch off in the evening, try to find some time away from social media and other technology distractions! Even if it’s just 20-30 minutes a day, make time to read a book anything else that gets you away from the screen. 

2. Get ready for your day with a ‘commute’

You’re probably sick of hearing about the ‘new normal’ that we are all entering into. It’s certainly true that as we move out of lockdown and back into the wider world, things are very different! One of the things you might be struggling to get used to when working at home is the commute (or lack thereof). Before the pandemic, most people had a daily commute to complain about, whether it be by foot, bike, car, train or bus. 

Now, however, there’s a temptation to simply stay in bed until five minutes to nine! But you probably already know that this isn’t a great idea, and will stop you from getting into a proper daily routine. So what’s the answer? Well, rather than spending extra time in bed, you can use the time you would save on your commute to get your brain and body prepared for the rest of the day ahead. Whether your commute was ten minutes or an hour, this is now free time you can spend reducing your stress rather than increasing it! Going for a quick walk or run is always a great choice, or perhaps you have weights you could use. If you’ve ever wanted to take up yoga, now is the perfect chance! 

3. Make the absolute most out of your mealtime! 

If you’re anything like us, then you probably wish that you could spend more time cooking than you actually do. Well, one way to help yourself switch off during the evening while making your house feel more homely and welcoming is to set some time aside for your mealtime! 

Working in the office usually means cold packed lunches that you rush to swallow down so that you can get back to your busy schedule. Working from home means that you have a bit more time and space available to make a wholesome and filling meal for yourself and your family, both at lunch and at tea time! 

Get in touch

Here at Jordan & Halstead, the team is passionate about helping our clients find the perfect home that they can make the most of! Just get in touch with us to find out more. We’re beginning to open up our offices and we can’t wait to speak to you!