Now finding ourselves in a third lockdown, and nearly a year of WFH during the COVID-19 pandemic, here at the Coop we have learnt a lot.
From handling home-schooling, setting up a workstation to make any design aficionado jealous, and dealing with the lack of social interaction, this time round we are more prepared than ever before.
We asked a few of the roosters to tell us how they are doing lockdown 3.0 differently, and what they have learnt from this unprecedented year.
Emma Younger – senior account manager
Lockdown 3.0 is looking a little different for me. I have now moved in with my partner, rather than living with my parents, so this will mean more time alone in the house and not trying to go mad! After spending the majority of last year WFH, I think it’s important not to rely on IM platforms to speak to people and just pick up the phone. Conversation and social interaction are so important to keep team morale up and keep yourself sane. If anything, this past year has made us all sick of the same four walls and miss being around other people, so when the pandemic is over, I will be saying yes more often to social events.
George Forrester – account manager
This time round I have decided to learn Japanese using Busuu, in the hope to emerge from the other side with a new skill. I am spending this lockdown with my family. This year has shown me that family is the most important thing, and I am looking forward to some quality time with them – provided they don’t get sick of me!
Lucy Pritchard – executive assistant
The pressure is off this lockdown and I am going to try and relax. I am not going to make myself do EVERYTHING. If I manage to go on a run every now and then, I’d say that’s a success.
WFH has also brought a new mindset. Making sure I take a break (with lots of snacks!) and keeping my work station separate to the rest of the house will also help separate my home life from my work life.
Tabby Grove – account manager
Regardless of what time you finish work, try and do some exercise afterwards as it works wonders for the mind. Mental health has been a big topic in the past year, with loneliness a huge problem for many, so always be nice to people. Everyone is quietly facing a struggle in their own way.
Always keeping my radio on and having a structured to-do list has also helped me nail the art of WFH so I will be keeping that up during lockdown 3.0!
Lewis Hopkins – senior press officer
For Lockdown 3.0 I am going full gamer. I may have impulsively ordered a Nintendo Switch and Legend of Zelda whilst hungover on New Year’s Day, so I am escaping to Hyrule for the next few weeks and months. Apart from that I will still be doing lots of night-time cycles to take a pretty picture of London for Strava (shock!). However, with a minor accident during lockdown 1, I will be wearing my reflective cycling jacket from Proviz which I received for Christmas. The material shimmers as you look at it and generates new light on the road, turning me into a moving beacon.
Emily Lauri – junior account executive
Even if the weather is miserable, I am going to brave it and go spend more time outside. I am going to try and work out more, stay hydrated (with the help of my Contigo water bottle) and try and drink less alcohol. Social interaction is so important, so speaking to my colleagues not just about work is high on my to-do list to keep morale high!
Lynnette Abbott – associate director
I read something the other day about how we should remember that there is a finish line – to keep looking at it, that our friends are waiting for us, holding our favourite drink, and that they’re going to give us the best hug of our lives once we all get there. This is keeping my spirits high.
When WFH, create a space away from your usual ‘living’ area. It’s taken me seven months to finally get a proper desk and chair set up, but it really does make all the difference to keep work and life a bit more separate. And try to go out in the daylight for a short break if you can. There’s not much of it around after hours. On a positive note, it has not rained on a single Tuesday evening since the middle of May (which is when I meet the bestie for a sanity walk along Brighton seafront, without fail).
Vic Ruffy – founder
To start with, I am not getting up at 5am to work like I did at the last lockdown – what was I thinking?! We have done a lockdown before; we can do it again. My team knows what they are doing and 2020 was a brilliant year results wise for Little Red so I need to CHILL. Hard work really does pay off regardless of the circumstances!
Going into this lockdown I have learnt a lot about WFH. It is important to create a space that is away from your normal living area. I am also a huge advocate for working with classical music for concentration – my Primephonic subscription has been a life saviour. If anything, the past year has shown that family and friends and animals – here’s looking at you Keef, Dolores, Connie, Delta, Luna, Skye and Samson – really are everything – and that I REALLY miss live music!
