This week at EffectiveHRM we are celebrating our pets and how they have helped us through the pandemic. Over the past year our furry friends have been with us the whole way; walking in on our Zoom meetings, sitting on our laps whilst we work, and occasionally causing trouble when they shouldn’t be. As last Saturday was National Love Your Pets Day and today is International Dog Biscuit Day, we thought we would take some time to look at how our pets have been helping us through these unprecedented times.
Getting Out of the House
As we all know, we aren’t leaving the house as much as we used to due to COVID-19 social distancing guidelines. However, one of the activities we are still able to do is go outside to exercise our furry friends. Taking your dog for a daily walk is a great way to keep fit and clear your head after a busy day, and it also does the same for your dog. Even a brisk 20-minute stroll can be beneficial to you both when done every day.
Reminder to Take Breaks
If you have a cat, you will know that when they want attention it’s pretty hard not to give it to them. Though it may seem a little annoying at first, it can be a helpful reminder to take a break from staring at the computer screen once in a while and spend a bit of time playing with your cat. Make sure you don’t spend the whole day waving a toy around at your feline friend though, as much as they’d love it.
Responsibility and Keeping Routine
Having a pet means that you are responsible for another living being, and that in turn means you have to keep routine and structure. Making sure your pets are fed, keeping their areas clean, and making sure that they themselves are healthy and happy can in turn help you to remember to do those things for yourself. Having an animal that relies upon you for these things daily can prevent you from falling into bad habits of not looking after yourself.
Companionship
The biggest complaint among most people during this pandemic is not being able to see friends and family as much as we used to. Whilst it may not be the same as meeting people in person, our pets act as great companions in these times. Curling up on the sofa next to your cat to watch a movie, spending time playing fetch with your dog, or just petting your hamster or guinea pig are great ways to break the loneliness.
It is important to make sure you are faring well in these times, whether its mentally or physically. Making sure that the people around you are OK is also important, so don’t forget to check that your employees are coping during the pandemic and offer them the support they need.
Throughout this week we will be posting pet profiles from the staff here at EffectiveHRM. Make sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn so you don’t miss out on all our cute pets.