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Whaddyoudo?  I know it was a weird spring break. But let's take a minute to describe your highlight.   

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Whaddyoudo?  I know it was a weird spring break. But let's take a minute to describe your highlight.   

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My Highlight was cycling around Singapore!!! Yes... the amazing Pat Desbarats and I cycled 92km around the island. It was hot, sweaty, exhausting, but tons of fun!

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Tips on How to Be productive while working at home

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Tips on How to Be productive while working at home

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Planning on working from home? You're among the emerging trend of remote workers who work from their home office.
This handy guide helps you maximize your newfound freedom (and responsibility). These tips don't only apply to individual contributors, but also managers and team leaders.
Working from the home office affords many benefits to increase performance, business continuity, and achieve greater work-life balance.
Although working from home was once a luxury, it is now a mainstay among large companies and small businesses. The key reason?Productivity. Working from home is great, but it can be problematic if it's not well managed.
Let's dig into the tips and best practices for working from home.

Top 32 Working from Home Tips

Nextiva has provided businesses with robust communication solutions for more than 12 years. We have enabled thousands of companies to scale their remote working staff-so we've seen what works and what doesn't.

1) Build a Permanent Work Space

The first step in your "work from home" journey is to designate an area of your home, specifically for getting work done.
This could be an empty or spare bedroom that you convert to a home office. If you are pressed for space, you can set up a desk for your computer and office supplies.
Regardless of space or location, establish an area of your home where you will work, and commit to working in this space every day. Be sure your workspace is quiet so you can focus on the task at hand.
Related: 33 Ways to Improve Work Performance (+Bonus Tips for Managers)

2) Invest in Quality Technology

Yes, setting up a home office or workspace may require a small investment. Much like starting a new business, you may have to purchase technology, such as a desktop, laptop, tablet, or remote phone system to do your job every day.
A high-performance router will save you from many technology hassles. Since working from home often requires more than chat messages, you need a router that will keep up. A router from several years ago might be prone to common network issues.
Depending on the nature of your work, you may also need to purchase hardware or software. Our recommendation?
Invest in whatever you need to comfortably and efficiently do your job.

3) Get Comfortable Office Furniture

You may also need to invest in office furniture if you haven't already. Depending on the amount of space available, consider purchasing a large desk, bookshelves, and a comfortable office chair.
You don't have to go with the top of the line desk. Ikea offers affordable desks that are relatively simple to set up in your home office. Combine it with a powerfulmonitor arm to maximize your desk space.
Remember, the point is that you will be working in this space every day.
Purchase comfortable and functional furniture, including ergonomic furniture or equipment.

4) Set Real Work Hours

Now that you have your office or work area set up, it's time to get down to business - literally. If you are going to make working from home an everyday commitment, then set specific business or work hours.
The beauty of working from home is that you can be flexible in setting your working hours. For example, if you are most productive in the morning, or if you need to get the kids to school, then you may want to set your work hours from 7 a.m. until 3 p.m.
Use your deep focus to zoom through your tasks. Keep reading to see how to manage your time effectively.
Enforce a hard limit at the end of the day. Distance yourself from work, so you don't work nonstop.
Regardless of your schedule, be sure to establish set work hours to follow each day. Communicate your work schedule to co-workers, teams, and your boss.

5) Avoid Work Creep

A career that lets you work from home can be invasive in your personal life. This is because if you are always home and near your work, then your work creeps into your home life. Yes, the risk is real, but only if you let it.
This goes back to setting work hours. By setting specific work hours and sticking to them, you willincrease performance and develop a healthy work schedule.
At the end of the day, shut down your laptop, set your work app to "away," and shut your office door. You (and your team) will be grateful.

6) Discover Your High Productivity Periods

Every individual is most productive at different times of the day. For example, some individuals are morning people, and they are most productive and focused during the morning hours. For others, their most productive time in the workday is the evenings.
Discover when you are most productive and build your work schedule around your peak productivity periods.

7) Update Your To-Do List Every Mornings

When working from home and you don't have a boss breathing down your neck, it can be challenging to keep track of what you have to do throughout your workday. It's easy to lose sight of priorities, tasks, and deadlines.
Start your day by reviewing priorities for the day. When you make your task list, stick to it. It's tempting to just leap into your email, but with a little extra focus, you can move the needle while working from home.
Set goals and time limits for each task. After you complete each task, cross it off the list. This simple technique is both effective and fulfilling.
Stay on task by quickly writing down all the things that need to get done at the start of each day.

8) Use a Planner

In addition to making to-do lists, get into the habit of using a calendar or planner. For example, if you work from home some days but you are on the road others, get in the habit of using a planner to write down and keep track of deadlines, appointments, and meetings.
Many differenttask management tools make telecommuting a breeze. By organizing tasks into projects, you can attack them one bite at a time.
Use a planner to log all tasks and activities, no matter if you work remotely or in the office. Plan the work and work the plan.

9) Stick to One Project Management App

If you aren't a "write-it-down" to-do list or planner person, don't worry-there are plenty of modern project management apps available that can still help you. These are great if you are WFH.
Top project management apps include:

Most of these apps offer both web-based and mobile versions so that you can use them on your phone. Some can even be integrated with other apps, such as Cospace, for team collaboration. And the best part? Most of these apps offer a free version.
Move your mountain of tasks into a project management app and break meaty projects into a series of tasks and assign them to your remote team.

10) Don't Work in Your PJs

We know - this is one reason why people love working from home. If you enjoy working in your PJs, then you are killing your productivity. "Dress for success" isn't just a corporate catchphrase; it really matters when you work from home.
Beyond psychologically getting you in the right mindset for work, you'll be ready to handle any kind of video chat or check-in with a teammate. You'll be prepared to get work done, and you will be mentally and physically prepared for the day.
Even if you don't leave the house, dress for work as if you were in the office.

11) Don't Work in the Living Room

This is another productivity killer. Some folks might think "working from home" is a day to binge Netflix. Wrong. It might be fine to indulge in this vice once, but it will catch up to you if you're not careful.
It's wise to take to heart why working at home works. It's not just about avoiding meetings and conference calls. In fact, quite the opposite. Remote workers know the responsibility that comes with working in their quarters.
Avoid the TV and otherdigital distractions so you can focus on your work and getting things done. However, if used just for background noise, it's probably okay.
Avoid watching TV while working; it sucks up your focus from the purpose of working at home. Instead, stream music that complements your work style.

12) Develop a Morning Routine

Another enjoyable perk of working from home is not having to get up, rush out of the house, and commute to an office.
However, working from home doesn't mean you get to skip your morning routine altogether. Since you'll likely be cooped up indoors, take a brief walk around the block to take in the fresh air.
Get up early, take a shower, make your coffee and breakfast, and prepare your lunch, just like you have to leave the house.

13) Set Multiple Alarms

Even if you don't have to be up as early to leave for the office, you should still set an alarm to commit to wake up at the same time. This will prevent you from sleeping in too late and will keep you on a healthy sleep schedule.
Human beings arecreatures of habit. We are incredibly dependent on routines, schedules, and structure. Alarms aren't just for waking up. Consider adding an alarm for lunch and wrap-up since working from home tends to blur these lines.
Follow a strict routine and set specific work hours to be more focused, more alert, and more productive.

14) Exercise & Stretch Regularly

Exercise naturally boosts endorphins, which increases happiness, enjoyment, and interest levels, all of which are important for productivity.
Regularly stretching helps you maintain great posture. At a minimum, stretch throughout the day so you don't get sore or hinder your quality of life.
You can also leave yourself motivational sticky notes by your bed, so they are the first thing you see and read in the morning. We recommend exercising in the morning when you have fewer objections and a longer payoff throughout the day.
If your day allows, take a lunch break and go for a walk, go to the gym, or stretch.

15) Eat Healthy Meals & Snacks

Another work from home reality is that we have full access to the kitchen. So, when it's time for lunch or a snack break, we are immediately drawn to the usual snacks, such as chips, cookies, or leftover pizza.
When we work in an office, we are at the mercy of whatever is available in the cafeteria or whatever lunch we brought from home.
However, research has shown that eating fruits and vegetables has a direct link on overall productivity levels. You can also avoid buying unhealthy snacks altogether. With extra planning, you can purchase more nutritional snacks on Amazon rather than buying on impulse.
Reward yourself with a sweet snack on Friday after a successful and productive week.
If you are an avid snacker, then make it a point to make yourself a healthy lunch, just as you would if you had to go into an office.

16) Take Short Breaks

Although we have focused most of this article on how to stay productive while working from home, sometimes the opposite can happen. We think that by working from home, we will be able to get more done because there will be fewer distractions. Therefore, sometimes we end up over-committing and working too much, which also kills productivity.
Although taking breaks might seem counterproductive, research has shown that taking short breaks can actually increase productivity and creativity levels. If you don't have a work-life balance, then you won't last too long working at home.
You can easily avoid this by working short, five-minute breaks into your daily schedule, or even make them a part of your rewards system.

17) Create a Rewards System

We mentioned using a rewards system in the point above. This is an easy way to help you get things done - even the things you have been procrastinating or putting off.
For example, take a five-minute break to go for a stroll through your neighborhood, grab a healthy snack, take your dog to the park down the street. Once you finish a necessary business call, switch over the laundry.
Although it seems simple, using a basic rewards system will help you get things done and also feel fulfilled.

18) Use Time Management Apps

If you struggle with staying on task while working from home, then you may need to kick things up a notch and use a time management app.
For example, some productivity apps will track the amount of time you spend on each task and even minimize distractions. Some examples of these types of apps include the following:

Using a time tracker app will help you see your productivity levels each day and week. This will not only provide you with insight as to when you are most productive during the day, but it will also show you how much time you spend on each task.
If you take calls at home for acall center, pay attention to your metrics. Call center metrics might tell a different story if you don't manage your time effectively.
If you spend too much time than what is necessary on repetitive tasks, it may be time to look into some automation solutions for even more productivity!

19) Stay Off Social Media

I think we can agree that we are all guilty of this one from time to time. Social media can be a giant time-suck if you aren't careful.
That is more time than most people spend sleeping or working! Furthermore, many mobile apps now reveal to users how much time they spend in each one. This is eye-opening, especially for casual social media users.
Get familiar with your company's social media guidelines. They might even want you to engage in their approved channels like LinkedIn.
Minimizing mindless use of social media helps avoid distractions, so you can focus on getting more done.
If you love using social media, then make it a habit to shut off social media notifications during the day. Consider muting your notifications on your phone.

20) Listen to Music

Depending on the nature of your work, it helps to turn on some background music. Spotify is a great streaming service that lets you pick moods for focus and productivity. Since you're working at home, you don't want it too loud or distracting - ensure you can quickly mute it to take a business call.
Listen to music throughout the day at a modest volume to give you the focus you need. Check out the different "moods" offered by Spotify to achieve peak productivity while working from home.

21) Step Outside

Since you'll be cooped up indoors to work, many of us often forget that there's an outside world out there. Open some windows to let sunlight in and take some time throughout your day to go outside - at least to your patio or backyard.
Boost creativity and productivity by stepping outside a few times throughout the day. Even just for a few minutes, it's better than being stuck indoors.

22) Use Video Chat

Yes, the video conference-the hallmark of remote work. Working from home can get pretty lonely, especially if you are single or live alone. Make it a point to chat with colleagues, team members, or clients each day.
It matters. You're not just a cog in a machine. You don't even have to talk about work, but just to connect as co-workers and people. Humanity must not be lost in working remotely.
There are many video chat applications available today, such as:

Depending on the nature of your work, you could end up spending almost all of your day on video conferences chatting with your team. We recommend working in a well-lit room; it brings out your best features.
Video chat is a great way to stay connected with your team. Meet regularly, and don't forget to relax and have a little fun.

23) Hack Your Lunch Break for Errands

If you're working from home each day, you'll often find that you have some additional flexibility in your time. Even then, you might feel tethered to your home.
Structuring your day is important. To run an errand, or schedule a quick doctor's visit, try to schedule them for your lunch break just as you would if you worked in an office. The best part is, you won't need to bother with small talk on the way out the door.
Leverage your lunchtime to take care of personal tasks. While you're out, use your business phone app on the go to never miss a beat.

24) Avoid Family, Friends & Pets

This can be difficult, especially if you have young children at home, or have multiple pets, all of whom want your attention. If you are home all day, every day, then family and friends might interrupt you without knowing better.
It's best to set some clear boundaries with your family while you work. It's not being mean if it results in better performance at work.
The counterpoint to this work from home tip is you must be present for your family and friends when away from work. Show up 100% and put your business phone away outside of work hours.
Set and stick to specific work hours and communicate those hours clearly with your family and friends.

25) Create a Vision Board

If you have been working from home for several years, it might eventually become boring and uninspiring. You might struggle with enjoying your work. A vision board can help.
A vision board is just that: a board that you can use to write notes and post pictures of your dreams and aspirations. The visualization aspect of a vision board is a great and powerful mind exercise. It can help you feel the way you want to feel. Such inspiration can help you get out of a slump while working from home, paving a clear path to productivity and success.
Create a vision board with goals and aspirations personally and professionally and look at it every day. Working at home should get you closer to those goals.

26) Check in With Co-Workers Frequently

Take the time to meet with your team regularly. The meetings should have an agenda actively involving all members, so they contribute. Dedicate time to meet privately with each member so they can share status updates, receive coaching, and discuss developments from their personal life.
Be mindful under the context of why people work from home. Remote employees might miss some aspects of the office. Beyond handling phone calls, be sure to discuss the bigger projects they are working on.
Make remote employees feel valued and included through live video meetings and conference calls regularly.

27) Declare Your WFH Availability

For the employee who works from home, they're aware of their availability, but colleagues might not be. Given the sea of tools to work remotely and collaborate, it can be challenging for your team to stay in touch.
Communicate dates and hours (with time zones) for your work time, what capacity you are working in, and how others can get in touch. This effort avoids assumptions that you're skipping the office or refusing contact.
If you have a business communication app likeNextiva, use its status features(Away/Available) for to show teammates your availability. While you're at it, check out some other benefits of using Nextiva for business communication and collaboration.
Keep your team informed about your work-at-home schedule, key projects, and methods to get in contact with you.
28) Assume Positive Intent

One limitation of working from home is that team chat messaging sometimes falls short of expressing ideas clearly. It's easy to think a quick remark was made to be rude or even flippant.
Remind yourself not to take seemingly short or snide responses offensively. For some members of theremote workforce, they are just efficient in their replies. Consider using emoji to support your intent in your declarations with your team.
Focus on the facts and assume positive intent where it might not otherwise be seen. Use emoji and emoticons to convey emotions with your team.

29) Connect With Your Team Offsite

For companies that are all-in on building a remote team, they will soon encounter a strong interest in meeting as a team throughout the year. One way to do this is a remote team offsite. Make it impactful and meaningful to forge and strengthen relationships.
Beyond team building, you want to be extremely intentional with the agenda to make the entire experience worthwhile. Conduct a strategic business review, SWOT analysis, and deep-dive intoKPIs and metrics.
Companies should budget time and resources to welcome employees into the office at least twice a year, so they connect with the team. Go out for lunches and connect outside of the context of just work, too.
Plan an annual team offsite and bring in your remote employees to the office to strengthen the working relationship. It builds loyalty, respect, and trust among colleagues.

30) Invest in a Good Pair of Headphones

Even if you have a brand new laptop or a new smartphone, you will want to invest in a quality pair of headphones with a mic. Noise-canceling features can really help improve the clarity of your phone calls. With modern virtual phone systems, you will appreciate the higher fidelity of your calls.
Look for headset features such as long battery life, Bluetooth compatibility, microphone, and noise canceling. These all work together to make your remote working duties a little easier.
Get a good pair of headphones. If you don't, ask your employer to purchase them as part of your work-from-home toolkit.

31) Stay Vigilant Against Security Risks

Just because you're not in the office doesn't mean you're not a target for hackers. Your work machine is incredibly valuable for thieves and criminals, so take care to work securely.

Be aware of how your company's network policies such as the use of Wi-Fi, personal devices, and more.

Employ a "trust but verify" mentality for documents sent to your inbox.

Use a business-grade Virtual Private Network (VPN) for encryption. Larger organizations are likely to have an approved VPN solution.

Know how to get IT assistance and report security threats.

Close your room's door to avoid disclosing sensitive information to family members or visitors.

Don't slack off on your duty to keep your home office equipment secure. Understand how to protect yourself from common security threats.
32) Use Professional Communication Tools

You might be using free tools to communicate with your team today. The SaaS market has capitalized on the freemium model to upgrade to paid plans. The problem with personal apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, and Google Hangouts - as an aggregate - is they don't necessarily improve internal communication.
Consider upgrading to abusiness communication platform that brings your phone system, team chat, sales pipeline, and customer support together.
Choose the right communication platform to help your team work remotely instead of a myriad of chat apps and a spreadsheet of cell phone numbers.

Why Working From Home is Critically Important to Every Business

Believe it or not, but working from home is quite common with nearly 40% of companies offering positions to work-at-home.
Maintainingbusiness continuity is something every company leader needs to think about. Diversifying where employees work is one of the ways businesses can withstand such unexpected changes in the market. With a remote workforce, employers can limit the effects of any disaster so the company can stay operational. Plus, they can adjust their work hours around local needs.
Since the cost of a broadband internet connection with a strongWi-Fi signal has decreased every year, working from home is common. For those who use Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) solutions, they can maintain connectivity between co-workers and customers.

Related: Pros & Cons of Working From Home vs. Working in an Office
Benefits for employees go well beyond skipping a commute. On the mind of every remote employee is the well-being of their family members and their welfare. Employees can meet both needs if they can work from home full-time.
The benefits of telecommuting from home save employers on commercial real estate, among other technology infrastructure issues prevalent in offices today. Consistently, survey after survey, remote workers are happier across the board when they work from home.
It takes more than a high-speed internet connection and video conferencing to work from home effectively.
There's a little truth to the natural skepticism some employers have about their teams to work remotely. In 2020, working from home is no longer such a novel concept.
Start putting these work from home tips into practice now to streamline your routine and increase your productivity.
Working Remotely? Here's How Nextiva Empowers Your Team

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Gaetano DiNardi

Gaetano DiNardi led demand generation at Nextiva and has a track record of success working with brands like Major League Baseball, Pipedrive, Sales Hacker, and Outreach.io. Outside of marketing, Gaetano is an accomplished music producer and songwriter. He's worked with major artists like Fat Joe, Shaggy, and loves making music to stay turbocharged.

Posts from this author

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32 Working from Home Tips You Can Do Right Now

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Planning on working from home? You're among the emerging trend of remote workers who work from their home office. This handy guide helps you maximize your newfound freedom (and responsibility). These tips don't only apply to individual contributors, but also managers and team leaders.

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How does one stay sane while learning online? Do you have anything to add to this list?

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My Workspace: I have my own study table, where I find it quite convenient to work as I have wi-fi connectivity and can easily concentrate on task.

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1. My Spring Break Highlight
I spent a few days at the Sofitel in Sentosa for a staycation. It was a really nice break and a way to destress and take a breather with everything happening at the moment.

2. My workspace

Pro: I have my own space and table to do work, I have wifi and its in an open place so I get lots of natural lighting and I am right next to the nature that surrounds my flat. I get the occasional sightsee of some hornbills and monitor lizards that roam around

Cons: My mom and dad also work in the same place, I can sometimes get distracted, it can also get quite hot where I am working, there can be outside noise and disturbances and I am also working on what is meant to be our breakfast table which can cause a few issues every now and then...

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1. Spring Break Highlight
My brother is back so we get to jam  all the time. It is fun

2. Workspace

I am at my table, so I am forced to be productive. I try to remove any really distracting things away from my table but I keep a few fidget toys.

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India is on a national lockdown so I haven't left my house the entire spring break but the highlight of my time was probably that I rarely get to see my whole family together so it's been nice to spend time with all of them as a whole.

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Being able to eat my favourite Maison Kayser sandwich set...

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My workspace isn't terrible but I don't have a desk to use so it can be inconvenient to be working from my couch or bed all day, the wifi isn't great but it works for me mostly.

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Coping with remote learning tips:
- I sometimes place my computer on top of the cupboard in my room, so that I can be standing throughout the lesson (because I get tired from sitting all day).
- Get some exercise before class starts. Jog or walk when there's time, jumprope or short workouts when there's only limited time.

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During the break I had gone for a walk in Bedok Reservoir. (Un)Luckily it started raining at the same time and I was able to capture this picture

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https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/google-meet-grid-view/bjkegbgpfgpikgkfidhcihhiflbjgfic

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My highlight was being able to relax more and take a break from studying and school relating things (especially after exams got cancelled).

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I find that it helps me stay motivated if I take breaks that involve me physically distancing myself from my workspace.

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The highlight of my break is to go cycle every weekend with my family. There are great views, different flower scent and fresh air in the cycling path. It is really enjoyable.

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I find it kind of hard to be focusing in my bedroom as I get a lot more freedom of doing different things than in the boarding house. Therefore, sometimes I will put on my earphones, open my door to make the environment which feels most like how I work in the library and set study time for myself.

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This week in our PSE class we are going to continue with our unit on Tolerance, Inclusion, and Respect. As a Recap- this unit we have covered.
- Identity
-Gender identity
-Gender Stereotypes
-Gender Privilege
-Physical and Social Boundaries
- Consent
- Media / Pornography

This WEEK we will discuss Healthy and Unhealthy relationships.  Check out this video and be prepared to answer the question in class.... What are some aspects of a healthy intimate /boyfriend / girlfriend relationship.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwQ5ur9OZ-g&feature=emb_logo

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https://sites.google.com/gapps.uwcsea.edu.sg/counselling/resources?authuser=0

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Trekking alone across Antarctica taught me something about isolation

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Trekking alone across Antarctica taught me something about isolation

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Written by a UWCSEA alumni from the class of 1984.  Some great takeaways in this article!!!

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The extensive social distancing policies put in place to limit the spread of COVID-19 mean most people will have to spend much, if not all, their time at home.

Self-isolation means far fewer opportunities to be physically active if you are used to walking or cycling for transportation and doing leisure time sports.

But equally worryingly, the home environment also offers abundant opportunity to be sedentary (sitting or reclining).

While self-isolation measures are necessary, our bodies and minds still need exercise to function well, prevent weight gain and keep the spirits up during these challenging times.

Read more: Why are we calling it 'social distancing'? Right now, we need social connections more than ever

Exercise can help keep our immune system become strong, less susceptible to infections and their most severe consequences, and better able to recover from them.

Even before the restrictive conditions were announced, physical inactivity cost 5.3 million lives a year globally.

So we should consider ways to limit the effects of the impact of the COVID-19 crisis, as well as its wider impact of contributing to the long-term chronic disease crisis.

Unsplash

How much physical activity?

Global recommendations are for all adults to accumulate at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity per week, as well as muscle-strengthening activities on two or more days a week.

Any activity is better than none, and more activity provides more physical and mental health benefits.

As several countries are already under lockdown, it is uncertain for how long you can go outside for a walk, run or cycle. The key question is how can people meet these guidelines when restricted to the home environment?

The Conversation, CC BY-ND

Sitting, standing and movement

Take regular breaks from continuous sitting in front of your computer, tablet, or smartphone every 20 to 30 minutes.

For example, you could take a few minutes break to walk around the house, take some fresh air on the balcony, in the garden or yard, or play with your dog for a few moments.

Alternate periods of standing while working/studying with sitting by creating your own stand-up desk area.

Make stairs your best friend

Using the stairs is an extremely time-efficient way to maintain fitness. As little as three 20-second fast stair climbs a day can improve fitness in only six weeks.

If you live in an apartment, avoid uncomfortable lift encounters with other self-isolating neighbours by using the staircase for any necessary outdoor journeys. Take care to avoid much contact with handrails.

Internal stairs also offer more stairclimbing and strength exercise opportunities.

Use your own bodyweight

A 2017 British study found home based strength exercises that utilise your own bodyweight - such as press-ups, sit-ups and planks - are as important for health as aerobic exercise.

Ivan Radic/Flickr, CC BY

There are many great resources for such indoor bodyweight exercises for people of all ages online.

Aim for at least a couple of own bodyweight sessions per week, with each session involving two to four sets of eight to 15 repetitions of each strength-promoting exercise. Make sure you take a two to three minutes rest between sets.

Dance the COVID-19 blues away!

An increasing number of live concerts are streamed online. Use the stress-releasing magic of music and dance at home like nobody's watching (which is not unlikely).

Dancing is an excellent way to protect the heart and maintain fitness as it can reach moderate and vigorous intensity and can even imitate high-intensity interval training.

Dancing also has established mental health benefits to help us cope with the coronavirus-imposed solitude.

Whether it's electronic beats, rock or traditional Irish music that floats your boat, it will not be difficult to turn up the volume of your stereo a little higher and turn your lounge or kitchen into a little dance hall every now and again.

Give them the play time they've always wanted

Social-distancing is a good opportunity to bond more with the little two and four legged members of your family through active play. Both children and dogs will love you replacing some of your online media and sitting time with playing in and around the house with them.

Flickr/Todd Dwyer, CC BY-SA

Dogs thrive on human attention and, given the opportunity, they would keep you on your feet 24/7. Take advantage of the extra time you will be in and around the house. There are many great indoor games to keep you active and improve your dog's well-being.

No matter how young or how old your children are, there are many fun activities you can do together indoors and in the garden.

Just do something!

Left unattended, the self-isolation imposed by COVID-19 will likely skyrocket sedentary time and will drastically reduce the physical activity levels for many. Our suggestions are only a few examples of ideas that need no special equipment and can be done within limited space.

Read more: Coronavirus distancing measures are confusing. Here are 3 things to ask yourself before you see someone

For more ideas take a look at the online resources of reputable organisations such as the World Health Organisation, the American College of Sports Medicine, Sport England and the American Heart Association.

The end goal during self-isolation is to prevent long term physical and mental health damage by sitting less, moving as often as possible, and aiming to maintain fitness by huffing and puffing a few times a day.

Flickr/Adam McGuffie, CC BY

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How to stay fit and active at home during the coronavirus self-isolation

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The extensive social distancing policies put in place to limit the spread of COVID-19 mean most people will have to spend much, if not all, their time at home. Self-isolation means far fewer opportunities to be physically active if you are used to walking or cycling for transportation and doing leisure time sports.

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UNICEF: Mental Health during the time of Corona

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UNICEF: Mental Health during the time of Corona

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For teenagers facing life changes due to the outbreak who are feeling anxious, isolated and disappointed, know this: you are not alone. We spoke with expert adolescent psychologist, best-selling author and monthly New York Times columnist Dr. Lisa Damour about what you can do to practice self-care and look after your mental health.

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< Back to UNICEF COVID-19 portal

Being a teenager is difficult no matter what, and the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is making it even harder. With school closures and cancelled events, many teens are missing out on some of the biggest moments of their young lives - as well as everyday moments like chatting with friends and participating in class.

For teenagers facing life changes due to the outbreak who are feeling anxious, isolated and disappointed, know this: you are not alone. We spoke with expert adolescent psychologist, best-selling author and monthly New York Times columnist Dr. Lisa Damour about what you can do to practice self-care and look after your mental health.

1. Recognize that your anxiety is completely normal

If school closures and alarming headlines are making you feel anxious, you are not the only one. In fact, that's how you're supposed to feel. "Psychologists have long recognized that anxiety is a normal and healthy function that alerts us to threats and helps us take measures to protect ourselves," says Dr. Damour. "Your anxiety is going to help you make the decisions that you need to be making right now - not spending time with other people or in large groups, washing your hands and not touching your face." Those feelings are helping to keep not only you safe, but others too. This is "also how we take care of members of our community. We think about the people around us, too."

While anxiety around COVID-19 is completely understandable, make sure that you are using "reliable sources [such as the UNICEF and the World Health Organization's sites] to get information, or to check any information you might be getting through less reliable channels," recommends Dr. Damour.

If you are worried that you are experiencing symptoms, it is important to speak to your parents about it. "Keep in mind that illness due to COVID-19 infection is generally mild, especially for children and young adults," says Dr. Damour. It's also important to remember, that many of the symptoms of COVID-19 can be treated. She recommends letting your parents or a trusted adult know if you're not feeling well, or if you're feeling worried about the virus, so they can help.

And remember: "There are many effective things we can do to keep ourselves and others safe and to feel in better control of our circumstances: frequently wash our hands, don't touch our faces and engage in social distancing."
>> Read our handwashing tips
2. Create distractions

"What psychologists know is that when we are under chronically difficult conditions, it's very helpful to divide the problem into two categories: things I can do something about, and then things I can do nothing about," says Dr. Damour.

There is a lot that falls under that second category right now, and that's okay, but one thing that helps us to deal with that is creating distractions for ourselves. Dr. Damour suggests doing homework, watching a favourite movie or getting in bed with a novel as ways to seek relief and find balance in the day-to-day.

3. Find new ways to connect with your friends

If you want to spend time with friends while you're practicing social distancing, social media is a great way to connect. Get creative: Join in a Tik-Tok challenge like #safehands. "I would never underestimate the creativity of teenagers," says Dr. Damour, "My hunch is that they will find ways to [connect] with one another online that are different from how they've been doing it before."

"[But] it's not going to be a good idea to have unfettered access to screens and or social media. That's not healthy, that's not smart, it may amplify your anxiety," says Dr. Damour, recommending you work out a screen-time schedule with your parents.

4. Focus on you

Have you been wanting to learn how to do something new, start a new book or spend time practicing a musical instrument? Now is the time to do that. Focusing on yourself and finding ways to use your new-found time is a productive way to look after your mental health. "I have been making a list of all of the books I want to read and the things that I've been meaning to do," says Dr. Damour.

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How teenagers can protect their mental health during coronavirus (COVID-19)

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Read our handwashing tips 2. Create distractions "What psychologists know is that when we are under chronically difficult conditions, it's very helpful to divide the problem into two categories: things I can do something about, and then things I can do nothing about," says Dr. Damour.

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Update Maia Learning with "Colleges I am Thinking about" 

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Update Maia Learning with "Colleges I am Thinking about" 

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It is important to keep thinking about what you might do after high school.  Take some time out of your schedule to log into Maia Learning and build your list of schools that you are considering.

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This week we'll be doing another UAC Related Activity that about Self Advocacy 

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This week we'll be doing another UAC Related Activity that about Self Advocacy 

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As a warm up.... can you think of 3 Words you would use to describe yourself... adjectives, attributes, qualities.

How would you this common interview question next year at your university interview... . "What's been one of your greatest contributions to your community?"

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This week we'll be exploring the idea of Gratitude. Can showing / expressing gratitude improve our overall wellbeing? 

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This week we'll be exploring the idea of Gratitude. Can showing / expressing gratitude improve our overall wellbeing? 

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMd1CcGZYwU