Along with 2.6 billion other people, Forward And Thinking’s team is working from home.
Find out how each one of us is dealing with the lockdown, their coping mechanisms and everyday madness
Jo Costello, our Senior Business Development Manager, shares her thoughts.
- What’s your work situation like at the moment?
Jugging work and the kids learning. Although it’s early stages I feel I have found a happy balance for everyone involved, and some very strategic playtimes scheduled in at the same time as important video calls! Although I don’t want to get too cocky too early on this!
- What’s your socialising strategy?
House party with friends, we had a Sunday morning coffee together, and then a Sunday afternoon wine together. I also had a virtual games night on Skype with my next door neighbours on Friday night, we won!
- What are you reading?
I have just finished a fiction and have been donated a whole bag by a close friend to work my way through. I love reading but it takes over my life, so I have to limit myself.
- What are you watching?
My favourite thing is “This Country” growing up in the middle of nowhere I totally know some similar characters, but also just started watching “Safe” on Netflix.
- What are you listening to?
Dance Monkey on repeat – NOT MY CHOICE!!! The kids love it, I don’t!
- How are you staying fit?
Joe Wicks’ P.E. sessions with the kids every morning. We are a day behind as we have to do them earlier than his live sessions. I have also done his hit and kettlebells workout and I can recommend both of those. My little girl wanted to do kettlebells so I made her a child safe kettlebell out of a milk carton!
- Have you taken up a hobby?
Drinking and eating more!!! – No, but I did plant seeds for the first time ever at the weekend. I doubt they will grow into anything though, I can kill a cactus!
- Any tips for getting necessities?
I now have a milkman who delivers milk, orange, eggs and butter and I had a delivery of potatoes too… how 80s is that!
- Any advice on how to cope with kids’/partners’ meltdowns/cabin fever?
Chuck the kids out into the garden every time the sun is out! Try and give them some structure to the school work so they know if they get their work done they can have downtime. I start mine early as I get more from them first thing and let them finish early. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself, just do your best, that’s all we can do in this circumstance and I remind myself every day how lucky I am to be in a job I can work from home… I have the best clients, too, which helps. Shaun and I have planned a cinema date night on Thursday, we will be having popcorn, nachos and we’re going to wear “proper” clothes… we’ve lived in loungewear and PJ’s for the past two weeks!
- An awkward moment?
Kids having a full on scrap in the middle of our management video call just after I told the guys on the call how well behaved they had been!
- Best work email?
A few, but the most recent one early today I had a nice one from Nat W after our team call, she could see my frustration with a situation and sent me a few lovely lines of encouragement. But as I say, I’ve had lots from both clients and colleagues
- An aha! moment since this all started?
Lots, I shall certainly be living life differently after all this! I’ve not missed anything material, I’ve missed spending time with friends and family. I may even start to give hugs after this is all over, we’ll see!
- What’s your theory on how this is going to play out?
No idea, but let’s all try and do our bit by staying safe until it’s over to support the NHS!
