How to take care of your mental health while working remotely?
It’s fair to say that COVID-19 has made life difficult for everyone. We all had to adjust to new ways of living and working. There are some perks to working from home. That’s why many strive to work remotely.
Many employees have made the rapid switch to work from home for the first time. This change can challenge their mental health and turn the normal, optimistic, productive worker bees into unmotivated, tired, and irritable toads.
These simple tips can help you notice and deal with those challenges in these difficult times.
Remote working psychological effects
Some commonly reported issues distributed workers face:
- Loneliness and isolation. You can spend days without talking to anyone when you’re working from home and don’t have to go anywhere. You may prefer bypassing distracting coworkers, but you will miss the social aspect of chatting and venting about life and work while working remotely. This disconnectivity from your coworkers may make you feel lonely and isolated, resulting in depression and anxiety.
- Anxiety and Stress. The boundary between home and work life blurs for the people who are working remotely. Most often, they work in the same place where they sleep. They may feel pressure to be on when they are off. Besides that, remote working requires additional skills like invoicing, marketing, time management, customer service, and more. Switching between these skills frequently will increase tiredness.
- WFH depression may happen when you feel stuck. Having no career milestones like a fancy corner office or a new nameplate on your disk can make you feel as if you are achieving as much as your peers. The stress, anxiety, and loneliness of working from home may lead to depression or worsen.
Every employee should take care of their mental health and consider it as much important as physical activity. To do so, you need to know how to protect your mental health while working remotely.
Here we will provide you easily actionable tips to help you work from home efficiently without stress.
Take care of yourself
Make sure to take out time to shower, comb your hair, put shoes on, and so on. While working from home you don’t need to be in a complete work outfit. However, it doesn’t mean that you always wear pajamas for the whole day. Simple actions of getting ready are an essential part of self-care. These actions can help you transition into work more effortless.
Set and stick to a routine
If you’re working from home and don’t have steady schedules, the lines between personal and work time can get blurred and be stressful to get right. It is suggested by mental health professionals to follow your normal sleep and work patterns and stay consistent. Wake up at the same time, eat your breakfast, and get out of your pajamas. Stop working when your workday stops. Stop checking emails, shut down your laptop and focus on your life. And most importantly, try to get to bed at your usual time.
Design a dedicated workspace
It is better to make a quiet place as your workspace away from distractions like TV. Before you start work, get everything you need, such as pens, chargers, paper, and anything else, and shut the door if you can. This will help your brain prepare for the work.
Try to avoid sitting on a sofa; it is better to sit at a disk or table. If you don’t have office furniture, try using things like cushions to support you in the chair.
Practice breaks constantly
Working from home doesn’t mean that you have to be available all the time. Being present is no use to anyone if your mental health isn’t in good condition. Making time for breaks is very important. It helps you manage the feelings of stress.
Try to take lunch and regular screen breaks. At that time, concentrate on something else, so you feel more focused when you return. Even just 5 to 10 minutes of short breaks every hour can help you increase your productivity.
Other than that, you can also do some light stretching or exercise with a 10-minute home workout.
Eat healthy food
When you start working at home with a stressful mind, the junk food and snacking issues loom large. For many people, it may become an attractive buffet that will beckon you all day. Having healthy lunches is another form of self-care that keeps you active and gives you the nourishment you need to have consistent energy.
Stay connected
Working from home has so many benefits, but sometimes you may also feel isolated. But there are ways to stay in touch with your loved one.
Whether you’re at work or not, in both cases, human interaction matters. So, schedule video calls and use pick up the phone instead of emailing. If you have issues related to your working at home, express your concerns to your colleagues or manager. Your colleagues might feel the same, ask them how they’re doing, and create a supportive environment.
Think longer term
Your work from home might continue for a while, so think about different ways you could improve your productivity. If you have a room with a window that lets in a lot of light or is warmer, could you work there instead?
Try different software, explore how you work with others, and different ways to talk online.
Be kind to yourself
WFH is an unusual situation, and things will not feel normal. Be kind to yourself and be realistic about what you can achieve according to the circumstances. Make some time to relax when your work is done.
Conclusion
By following these tips, you’ll protect your mental health from the anxiety, depression, and loneliness many remote workers have a hard time dealing with.
You can also speak to your doctor or reach out to someone you trust or find a mental health professional if you’re struggling with anxiety or depression. You’re not the only one who is dealing with, and remember, tomorrow is always a fresh start with new challenges.
