1 Maintain Regular Hours 2 Create a Morning Routine 3 Set Rules With the People in Your Space 4 Schedule Breaks 5 Take Breaks in Their Entirety 6 Leave Home 7 Don't Hesitate to Ask for What You Need 8 Keep a Dedicated Office Space 9 Maintain a Separate Phone Number 10 Use a VPN 11 Socialize With Colleagues 12 "Show Up" to Meetings and Be Heard 13 Get Face Time 14 Take Sick Days 15 Look for Training Opportunities 16 Overcommunicate 17 Be Positive 18 Take Advantage of Your Perks 19 Don't Be Too Hard on Yourself 20 End Your Day With a Routine
Looking after your mental health during the Coronavirus outbreak Coronavirus (Covid 19), can be scary and can affect our mental health. While it is important to stay informed, there are also many things we can do to support and manage our wellbeing.
Try to stay connected At times of stress, we work better in company and with support. Try and keep in touch with your friends and family or contact a helpline for emotional support. It is a good idea to stick to your daily routine as much as you can or create a new routine perhaps adding yoga or mindfulness to your daily activity
Talk to your children Involving our family and children in our plans for good health is essential. We need to be alert to and ask children what they have heard about the outbreak and support them, without causing them alarm. Let’s not avoid the ‘scary topic’ but engage in a way that is appropriate for them.
Try to anticipate distress It is normal to feel vulnerable and overwhelmed as we read news about the outbreak, especially if you have experienced trauma or a mental health problem in the past, or if you have a long-term physical health condition that makes you more vulnerable to the effects of the coronavirus. We should also be aware of and avoid increasing habits that may not be helpful in the long term, like smoking and drinking. Try and reassure people you know who may be worried and check in with people who you know are living alone.
Try not to make assumptions Don’t judge people and avoid jumping to conclusions about who is responsible for the spread of the disease. The Coronavirus can affect anyone, regardless of gender, ethnicity or sex.
Try to manage how you follow the outbreak in the media There is extensive news coverage about the outbreak. If you find that the news is causing you huge stress, take a break from it.
How should people deal with being in self-isolation or in quarantine? If there's a chance you could have coronavirus, you may be asked to stay away from other people (self-isolate). For people that are in self-isolation or are in quarantine, this may seem like a daunting prospect. It will help to try and see it as a different period of time in your life, and not necessarily a bad one, even if you didn’t choose it. It will mean a different rhythm of life, a chance to be in touch with others in different ways than usual. Be in touch with other people regularly on social media, e-mail or on the phone, as they are still good ways of being close to the people who matter to you. Create a daily routine that prioritises looking after yourself. You could try reading more or watching movies, having an exercise routine, trying new relaxation techniques, or finding new knowledge on the internet. Try and rest and view this as a new if unusual experience, that might have its benefits. Make sure your wider health needs are being looked after such as having enough prescription medicines available to you.
Try to avoid speculation and look up reputable sources on the outbreak
Rumour and speculation can fuel anxiety. Having access to good quality information about the virus can help you feel more in control. You can get up-to-date information and advice on the virus here:
With an increased number of the Bailiwick’s workforce working remotely, it’s a good opportunity to explore how best to ensure that your organisation’s protection of personal data is maintained.
Remember: the object of data protection legislation is to protect people’s rights in relation to how their data is treated.
All organisations, from sole-traders to multinational companies, charities to governments handle personal data of their staff/clients/suppliers/citizens. Doing this well enables trust and good relationships to be maintained, and prevents people being harmed by misuse of their data.
With this in mind, all local organisations need to consider the fact that remote working may pose an increased risk to personal data. It is possible to take positive and effective steps to mitigate this risk by considering these common-sense steps:
1. Make sure staff are aware of, and able to implement, your existing policies surrounding remote-working.
2. Depending on what your staff are doing with personal data whilst they’re working remotely, consider whether it may be helpful (or legally required) for your organisation to perform a Data Protection Impact Assessment.
3. If you identify a potentially high-risk processing activity involving personal data you need your staff to perform remotely, seek advice from your Data Protection Officer (if you have one), or visit odpa.gg/advice-guidance.
4. Ensure staff only use secure network connections, and that all devices have appropriate and up-to-date anti-virus software and other security measures.
5. Take extra care when transporting any paperwork or devices that may contain personal data: where appropriate use additional security measures such as two-factor authentication for devices, or use physical locks for storing paperwork.
6. Be extra vigilant to social engineering (e.g. criminals impersonating your staff/suppliers/clients) in all its forms, as criminals are actively trying to take advantage of the current disruption.
7. Inevitably people’s attention-to-detail, focus and vigilance may suffer from not being in their usual workplace. This is especially true if their attention is being demanded by other household members, such as small children who are in their care. So be realistic with your staff about what level of productivity you are expecting from them and think about limiting them to performing only low-risk, business-critical tasks.
8. Think about the accountability principle: is your organisation using personal data in a new (or different) way as a result of the current public health situation? If so, document the decision-making process that led to this and update any relevant policies.
1 Work in 90-minute chunks to boost energy and focus 2 Do one thing at a time 3 Spot strengths in others, let them know what you've seen, and everyone benefits 4 Once you've become aware of strength in others it's important that you find ways to nurture it 5 Learn to let the small things go 6 Keep a routine