That may seem a little dramatic but the circumstances are extreme. I am working two jobs from home - I am now classifying substitute teacher for my three school-aged kids as my second job - and my stress levels at times are definitely up.

BC (Before COVID-19), I needed routine and a plan to make sure our busy lives worked like a well-oiled machine. Now, I feel I need both more than ever. Having a plan makes me feel organised and in control. And, in this time of chaos, setting health and fitness goals may give you control over something when everything else seems out of control.

It is a glass half-empty or glass half-full situation. And in the past couple of weeks I have spoken to people who are looking at it from both perspectives. Friends have commented they are either going to emerge from all of this fitter because they have nothing else to do in their spare time and others have said they fear the opposite as they have stopped exercising since their gyms closed and sports were suspended.

The way I look at it, there are heaps of reasons why exercising should have just become a whole lot easier for those who are now working from home.

For one, time is now on your side. The time you normally spend getting ready for work and/or getting kids ready for school - ironing clothes, washing your hair, drying your hair, straightening your hair, making lunches, packing bags, et cetera - can now be devoted instead to fitness.

To make my 5.30am gym class normally, I would be up before 5am. Now, I am sleeping a little longer, getting up around 5.20am and walking two minutes to the park for some running intervals or stepping out on to the back deck for a 20-minute circuit.

Another benefit of working from home is you can wear your work-out clothes all day. That means you can break up your day with 10-minute work-outs if you want; this is a good excuse to get up from your computer and to move a little. Because you are already in your "active wear", it is easy to slip out for a run or work-out in your "lunch break". In fact, you can even save time by not showering after because it is not like you are going to offend your colleagues if you don't.

To give yourself the best chance of succeeding, make a plan. As a suggestion, aim for 30 minutes of exercise a day. If you can't manage that then doing something is always better than doing nothing.

Given the current social restrictions are likely to remain in place for at least 90 days,12 weeks is probably a good place to start in terms of time frames for setting some health and fitness goals.

Now, what do you have at your disposal at home in terms of gear and spaces for working out? A set of weights, or water bottles as a substitute, and a skipping rope can be used for a range of work-outs. In place of a medicine ball at the gym, I am using a soccer ball for things like Russian twists (start with the ball in both hands on one side of the body and twist to the other while in a seated position).

Is there something in particular you would like to improve, or get better at? This could be the ability to run for longer, or perhaps being able to do 20 push-ups with good form by the time social distancing has become a distant memory.

I plan to use this time to improve my core as it is an area that gets limited attention and it is something that does not require much space. In fact, you can do a 15-minute core work-out without barely moving. My core work-out at the moment is a combination of crunches, Russian twists, side plank, plank, plank jacks (in the plank position, jump your feet together then apart like you would in a star jump) and glute bridge.

Find your starting point. For example, how many times can you run or walk around your block in 20 minutes right now? Is it achievable to be able to do it twice as many time in 12 weeks' time. Once you have worked out what you want to achieve, be consistent. Improvements should come if you set realistic goals and are consistent with your exercise. Track your progress as seeing improvements can keep you motivated.

I am running intervals at the park three mornings a week then doing strength and core work on other days. Having that routine is making me feel in control of the day and helping me cope better when things at home later are not going as planned. It is giving me something to look forward to and also giving me a sense of accomplishment in testing times.

15-20 minutes

Option 1 (lower intensity), outside: 3 x [10 squats, 10 push-ups, 20 lunges, 10 bent-over rows, run/walk around the block or skipping];

Option 2 (moderate intensity), inside: 2-3 x [10 squats, 10 star jumps, 10 push-ups, 10 plank jacks, 20 lunges, 20 seconds running on the spot, 10 bent-over rows, 20 Russian twists];

Option 3 (vigorous intensity), inside or out: Build up from two repetitions each to 10 x [jumps squats, run on the spot with high knees, plank jacks, burpees]. Make it longer by dropping reps back down to two.

- Renee Valentine is a journalist, qualified personal trainer and mother of three.