As Covid-19 continues to disrupt the world of recruitment and we are amongst the summer holiday months (if people can actually get away!), it is more important than ever to keep yourselves busy, stimulated and motivated. Whether this be working from home or in the office, there are plenty of ways to utilise ones time efficiently, not only for the benefit of the business and your desk, but your sanity!

We at som3 have found the last month to have actually been pretty busy and this is purely based off the back of all communication efforts with customers during these strange times we face. Both customer and candidate engagement/generation has been at an all-time high, and you know what, it has actually been good fun! What we have noticed is that the strength of our network and pre-existing relationships has made calls to customers easier. Never a cold-call, checking in for a catch-up that isn’t necessarily recruitment related has helped build on those ties even more. This barren recruitment period has really opened our eyes for the need of staying in contact with your clients on a regular basis.

We’ve all been there before when live roles are scarce and you’re sat twiddling your thumbs thinking of the next thing you can do. You’ve exhausted yourself convincing your colleagues that Arsenal will always be better than Tottenham, there are no more films to watch on Netflix and you’ve received the same funny meme via WhatsApp for the 10^th time that morning…normally from the same person in 10 different groups!

So, what can you do to keep that grey matter alert, keep those synapses firing and deliver to the best of your ability? Here are just a few things that we at som3 have been doing since the dreaded virus kicked in, and also now that that people are away on holiday:

• Self-set targets

‘KPI’ is not a phrase we use at som3, it is banned! We know what is expected of us and the levels we should be performing to in order to achieve success. Unfortunately, we find ourselves in unprecedented times and so reading through your own stats is probably as fun as being an Everton fan this league season. However, setting yourself realistic and attainable targets each day, week and month could be just the challenge you needed. How you do this is your own preference but here the som3’ers have been focusing heavily on client engagement.

• Meetings

A tough one here considering the lockdown and social distancing element we have all had to face. But, it’s been a great excuse to use multiple video platforms to speak with colleagues, candidates and clients. It’s also been a breath of fresh air seeing someone in person when you’re trapped at home or in the office alone (albeit Covid haircuts and double chins have gone awry!). Here at som3 we have had almost daily morning Zoom calls since the beginning of lockdown and it’s been nice to catch up sometimes and not even talk about work.

• Exercise

Goes without saying, but exercise gets those endorphins going! That can be exactly what is needed during quiet times to keep your motivation levels high. Whether it’s your Ops Director going to morning bums ‘n’ tums, others running into work or even just getting out at lunch for a walk, the som3 team have always been quite active, and our productivity has benefited from this drastically. There are plenty of physical activities that can be done at home or in the office to keep you going.

• Take a break!!

For those who haven’t been furloughed, I’m sure you’ve been working yourselves to the bone to keep your companies afloat and pound notes in the bank. Rest is just as important as flogging yourself to death at work, especially during stressful times like these. Even if it’s for a long weekend to Prague with your mates…actually…bad example…but you get the gist. Constantly pushing yourself to the limit can lead to stress, burnout, disengagement from work and a poorer performance. Book some time off, get yourself some well-deserved R+R and come back fully refreshed to smash those targets and earn some juicy commission

So, on that note, from us all at som3, we wish you all the best of luck over the summer months, may they be fully motivated! Keep healthy and stay safe.