Get ready for spring while you work from home

Spring signals the start of new beginnings - lambs are frolicking in the fields, swathes of colourful flowers are beginning to bloom, and the coldest months will soon become but a distant memory. It's also the ideal time to rejig your workspace and start new habits to boost your wellbeing for the months ahead.

Officially, spring starts on Saturday, 20th March, so there's not long to go. Fortunately, we've put together this guide to help you prepare and get the most out of the sunnier days to come while you continue to work from home.

1. Spring clean your home office

Whether you have a dedicated room for work or you set up your laptop on the dining table next to housemates, spring gives you a great opportunity to tidy up your work-from-home space and start afresh for the next half of the year.

Begin your workplace spring clean by clearing out your drawers and any clutter on top of your desk/table. Recycle papers you no longer need and throw away any rubbish that's been hanging around longer than necessary.

Now it's time to focus your attention on your laptop - it can get pretty dirty, especially if you snack or take lunch at your desk! To get it squeaky clean, you'll need the following three items:

- a can of compressed air

- rubbing alcohol

- a microfibre cloth

That's it! Now just follow the simple steps in this guide to make your laptop shine like new. Once done, finish off by giving your work surface and surrounding floor a good clean.

If you want to go a step further, why not take your workspace cleaning into the digital realm by tidying up your computer files, clearing cache, cookies, and browsing history, as well as getting all those unread email notifications down to zero.

2. Spruce up your workspace with plants

Now that your desk is looking fresh, it's time add in a few small touches to really bring it back to life.

As more light streams in through the windows, your houseplants will start to flourish. So, why not treat yourself to a new potted pal to bring the outdoors in while you work from home?

Houseplants are a great addition to your desk; not only are they nice to look at, but having plants in your work space has been found to improve happiness and productivity, too!

New to looking after our leafy friends? Try out these no-fuss houseplants that even the most unexperienced plant enthusiast will find hard to kill:

-Devil's ivy

- Snake plant

- Spider plant

- ZZ plant

3. Get out in the fresh air at lunchtime

Once the bitter winter weather subsides, heading outside for your daily exercise will become more and more appealing. So, make the most of the spring sunshine during your lunchtime by exploring your local area on foot.

While you walk, keep an eye out for the telltale signs of spring: yellow daffodils blooming in March, birdsong escaping from the trees, bumblebees making their first outings of the year. Sounds blissful, right?

Nature has played a big part in people's lives during the pandemic. A survey published by Natural England in September 2020 revealed that almost nine out of 10 adults in England reported that being in nature makes them very happy, while four out of ten said they were spending more time in nature than before the COVID-19 pandemic began.

And it's not surprising.

Spending time in nature can help better your mood, reduce stress, and improve your physical health, too. So, whether it's a park run or a short walk around the houses, be sure to get outside regularly while you work from home.

4. Grow your own food during work breaks

Spring is the beginning of the gardening season, so to compliment your daily walks in nature, you could try your hand at growing your own food. It doesn't have to take long, but it can be a very rewarding experience and help you to enjoy much-needed screen-free time outside of work. So, start small and see where you go!

Don't have a garden or access to outdoor space? Don't worry! If you have a little space on your windowsill, you can still get growing. Last spring, our Senior Content Marketing Manager Vanessa grew herbs and veg on her windowsill:

“I decided to plant some seeds during lockdown to start growing my own veggies and herbs. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but certainly didn’t expect them to thrive the way they have. I now have an unending supply of kale, bok choi, rocket, radishes, Chinese lettuce, dill, basil and thyme. Keeping my fingers crossed my broad beans will start fruiting soon. It’s great having so much greenery in the house, and the fact that we can eat them is even better! It helps save some pennies from the supermarket and I know my salads are totally organic”.

5. Enjoy spring food hampers with your teams

We can't talk about getting ready for spring without mentioning all the tasty food that we get to enjoy as the weather gets warmer. From refreshing salads to Easter treats, spring is an exciting time for food lovers, so that's why we've curated lots of delicious hampers for you and your colleagues to enjoy while you continue to work from home.

All of our food and drinks boxes are available for delivery to your teams homes' in London, with most available for nationwide delivery too. Take a look and prepare to feel peckish!

Spring Picnic Hampers

Spring is synonymous with picnics, so we've got plenty of mouth-watering food hampers to enjoy out in the sun* or at home:

- Afternoon teas from Piglets Pantry

- Picnic boxes from Jimmy Garcia Catering

- Grazing boxes from Kidbay

*Always be sure to adhere to current lockdown rules regarding the use of public spaces and social gatherings.

Healthy Spring Food Boxes

Help your teams nourish their bodies with delicious healthy hampers this spring, like DIY salad kits from Spiers Salad, plant-based ready meals from PEP Kitchen, or natural sweet treats from Nummy.

You can check out our healthy hampers here.

Easter Team Gifts

Celebrating Easter with your colleagues remotely is easy with our delicious celebration gift boxes. We've got luxurious chocolate eggs from Art Chocolat, savoury spring snacks from Dinner Ladies, Easter feast boxes from Country City Catering, and more. Order before 22nd March to receive your packages in time for the April bank holidays!

We hope this guide has made you sufficiently excited for spring! If you'd like to chat to us about how we can help keep your teams engaged and motivated in the coming months, feel free to get in touch by emailing foodguru@citypantry.com.

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