We all know online shopping sites have been the winners of lockdown. Even as we begin to open up again, things are still in limbo and, I don’t know about you, but I have that final furlong feeling. Having the end in sight makes the remaining restrictions feel more onerous.

If you’re working from home where there’s no watercooler gossip, it’s tempting to spend break times browsing eBay, Amazon or your other favourite stores.

Feeling bored, stressed and lonely can lead to “comfort spending”. Treating yourself to a little something in the post can, weirdly, feel like someone cares, even if that someone is you.

If you’re relating to this, here’s my top tip for avoiding online shopping on your breaks: schedule something else to do.

I know it sounds obvious, but it’s actually really powerful. Working from home can be much less structured than working at your employer’s premises and a lot of people have complained about a disorientating sense of “pandemic time” passing differently from time in their previous life.

What can you schedule?

• A catch up call with someone you actually like

• A walk around the block

• A YouTube dance party

• A short meditation

• A short creative or craft activity

• Water your houseplants

• Play or snuggle with a pet

• Read a something fun that’s not thing to do with work - novel or magazine (not online, ideally hardcopy but e-reader will do)

• Solve a puzzle

Warning: you might need to set a timer to make sure you don’t overrun (because pandemic time).

The important thing is that whatever you do you’re not on the internet and the activity is relaxing and will refresh you. Note I haven’t included chores in the list, although I suppose if you find housework relaxing you could do fold laundry or pre-prep dinner from time to time. You want to make sure in general though your planned activities are fun rather than practical.

Actively choosing when you’ll take a break and scheduling an activity you’ll look forward to will bring structure to your day and improve your overall well-being as well as reducing the risk of impulse shopping.

And if you really miss getting nice post, you can always send postcards to a few friends and see who sends one back. It’s better than sending things to yourself.

A few weeks ago I was on Podcast from the Past (the postcard podcast) you can listen here.