March 21 Newsletter

Is every day starting to feel like Groundhog Day?

(6 tips to break free!)

I know this is definitely how I am feeling.  It’s a bit different now that we have a roadmap of how we are coming out of lockdown but we still have a few months of restrictions ahead of us. Whereas we could break up the monotony of everyday life before the pandemic, we can’t just take a quick trip out of town or spend an evening at a friend’s house for some variety. We are still faced with this vast expanse of time where we can’t punctuate the end of the day, never mind the end of the week.

So what can we do? How can we break free from this groundhog day feeling, so that we can muster up the energy to make it through the next few months?
6 tips to mix things up

1.  Create a routine and stick to it – it might be boring, but a routine gives you a specific start and finish to your day. Without it, you will just aimlessly float through the days and this will make that groundhog feeling worse.

2.  Inject variety into your free time – while your routine during work hours may be the same each day, around that time is where you can be spontaneous and make each day different. While one evening, you may choose to take a bike ride, the next you could FaceTime a friend, take a bath or run some errands.

3.  Pick a skill to master – mastering a skill doesn’t only stimulate our brains (which is essential for our mental health), but it also gives us a goal and allows us to progress with something. Improving with something makes us experience growth and gives us a sense of control which is essential in this environment.

4.  Focus on exercise – exercise releases endorphins and serotonin (happy hormones); it helps us to sleep and actually gives us more energy. If you can, exercise for 10-30 minutes every day. You can mix it up with a walk one day, yoga the next, and a HIIT workout the next, whatever suits you.

5.  Be there for others – while you might not feel like you have the energy, try helping others. Check-in with your parents and grandparents regularly during the week or research how you can virtually volunteer or help a cause. Being kind will give your days more meaning and it will help you and the people you’re helping feel good.

6.  Seek help – if you’re struggling, don’t struggle alone. Ring a friend or seek support from your family. If you’d rather, reach out to an online Therapist. There are people who care about you and want to listen, and it’s okay to lean on them too. They might be able to provide you with some much-needed perspective.

Even small changes can go a long way



Some days will be harder than others, but even small changes can go a long way. Little things such as walking a different route every day can make you feel refreshed and ready to get back to work or juggling the family. Even if you feel like succumbing to that numbing and self-defeated feeling some days, try to do at least one thing that is different. You might just be surprised by the result.

HMRC have opened their online service called the VAT Deferral New Payment Scheme .  This is open to businesses that deferred VAT payments last year and want to pay it off in smaller monthly instalments. 

As with any scheme there are some criteria to meet:

• You will need to have deferred VAT payments between March and June 2020 under the VAT Payment Deferral Scheme and have no outstanding VAT returns to submit.
• Opt-in to the VAT Deferral New Payment Scheme online between 23 February and 21 June 2021
• Contact HMRC by 30 June 2021 if you need extra help to pay.



If you would like to use the scheme, the sooner you apply for it the better! If you join by 19th March 2021 you can spread the payments over up to 11 months interest-free.

Warning: you will be required to set up a direct debit as part of the application process which must be authorised by your bank account holder.  Therefore the business owner must do the application rather than your accountant.

As ever, if you would like a chat to understand a bit more or if you have a general query, then please get in touch.

Although things are pretty similar for us at the moment, we have lots to look forward to.  Katherine and Kasia are looking forward to their children returning to school and summer holidays, while David is getting married this summer.  We are also looking forward to returning to our office and decorating it with plants and flowers. 

We hope that we will see you soon for a coffee and a catch up. 

But in the meantime, if there is anything you would like to discuss, then please give us a call on 01908 751 972.

Keep safe and well,

Katherine, David and Kasia