Mental, physical and emotional wellbeing should always be a priority but it has become increasingly important since the COVID-19 outbreak and corresponding lockdown. With ‘social distancing’, ‘isolation’ and ‘quarantine’ now all part of our everyday vernacular, it’s clear that the way we live – and work – has changed. So how can we make sure we look after our wellbeing during the pandemic? And what is Travis Perkins doing to support our colleagues through this time?
We’ve put together some helpful tips and insights on looking after your wellbeing throughout COVID-19.
Steps you can take
There are many different things you can to do promote mental health in your home. One of the most important things is to maintain contact with other people. This is particularly helpful for those who are isolating and people who live alone. Social interaction has been shown to improve overall health, particularly in older adults. However, with many of us restricting our outings and interactions, socialising can feel difficult in the current climate. Whether your preferred medium is video calls, texting, emailing or a good old-fashioned phone call, try to get into the habit of talking to others and maintaining social connections.
Another top tip is establishing a routine, particularly if you’re working from home, furloughed or your pre-pandemic routine has been disrupted entirely. A regular sleep and wake time, set meals, dedicated work and rest spaces and frequent breaks can all help to provide some structure to your days and help life feel more normal.
Take inspiration from our very own Gavin Simpson, who addresses his mental health challenges with the help of marathon running. While long distances may not be your thing, exercise is proven to be one of the most effective things you can do for your mental and physical health, doing everything from boosting endorphins through to making you feel more focused and energised. If you can’t get outside, try an at-home circuit session that includes simple bodyweight exercises such as squats, lunges and push ups – or try a cardio workout under the guise of dancing around your living room!
Take a look at Mind's recommendations for more tips on looking after yourself and your loved ones’ wellbeing.
How Travis Perkins plc is helping
Travis Perkins Group has come together to support colleagues across our businesses at this time. We understand that people are facing different and unexpected situations, whether that’s social distancing in-branch to support essential services in their vital work, working in all new ways from home or on furlough. We’re mindful of the impact COVID-19 is having on people across the country and are supporting our colleagues as best we can. Our weekly Group-wide newsletters are designed to touch base with colleagues and share information and updates, as well as highlighting some of the amazing work our teams are doing to help out. Colleagues across the group are receiving weekly ‘Check-In Tuesday’ pulse surveys designed to find out how people are feeling and what we can do to support them.
Our furloughed colleagues can access development through our LEAP apprenticeship programmes, while we have a dedicated Wellbeing team which provides weekly tips and resources around mental wellness. Our Employee Assistance Programme features the Thrive Mental Wellbeing app and additional mental wellbeing support.
We’re also keeping spirits high by encouraging and celebrating our colleagues who are helping out in their local communities. We’ve seen everything from branches donating loads of PPE to hospitals and materials to clinics through to individual efforts, such as colleagues delivering essential groceries to their quarantined peers and even one colleague using his own materials and 3D printer to manufacture PPE. On top of this, Travis Perkins also helped with the mammoth effort to transform London’s ExCeL Centre into Nightingale Hospital.
Looking ahead
As the lockdown continues and many of us remain in our homes, it’s vitally important that we look after ourselves and each other. We’ll continue to check in on our colleagues and support each other throughout this time, and we encourage everyone to do what they can to stay mentally and physically well.
For more insights on what life is like at Travis Perkins, take a look at our blog section.
