Although working from home for extended periods may have begun as a novelty, it might eventually start to have an impact on our mental health. Keeping track of your emotional state is just as crucial as maintaining your physical health.
You might be feeling some of the following typical emotions:
- Feeling socially and/or professionally isolated, lonely, or cut off from others
- Having trouble “switching off” from work
- Having trouble maintaining motivation
- Your workload is challenging to prioritize.
- Being unsure about your progress and how you’re doing overall
- Sleep issues and insomnia
Here is some advice for maintaining your mental health when working from home to assist you in battling this.
1. For your workday, establish a routine and a structure. Identify and establish boundaries between “work time” and “home time”. Establish a schedule for your day as though you were going to work, with a regular start and finish time, a schedule for your breaks, and times for exercise. By doing so, you’ll be able to keep a clear separation between your personal and professional lives, reduce the likelihood that work will interfere with your family time, and learn how to decompress at the end of the day. To help accomplish this, cues can be created, such as changing into work clothes at the beginning of the day and hanging out at the end.
2. Designate a specific area of your home as your workspace (avoid the bedroom): Research indicates that working from home can interfere with sleep, particularly for those who find it difficult to unwind from their jobs. If at all possible, avoid working in your bedroom.
3. Arrange frequent phone or virtual meetings to stay in touch with coworkers and your manager: When we work from home, we don’t necessarily run into our coworkers on a daily basis, therefore in order to preserve good relationships, we need to be proactive in setting up meetings and social interactions. Maintaining relationships with other people will make you feel less lonely, less stressed out, and more productive. It also makes it easier for you to educate your management or coworkers about what you’re working on.
4. Try a digital detox in the evenings: While technology makes it simpler to stay connected around-the-clock, the drawback is that it can make it challenging to unplug and distinguish between personal and professional obligations. To help you unplug from work and spend time with your family or doing the things you want to do, try a digital detox. Consider going outside at least once every day. Try to leave the house at least once every day, and take a stroll to enjoy the sunshine and fresh air. If you find yourself alone, venture outside to your garden, stroll up and down your driveway, or step onto your balcony to breathe in some fresh air.
5. Consider the positives: Working from home has several advantages. It can increase efficiency, decrease stress and distractions, boost job satisfaction, cut down on commute time and costs, allow you more control over your weekday, and even assist in avoiding difficult coworkers.
Don’t also overlook other additional beneficial practices for preserving mental wellness.
These include :
- Exercising, sleeping well, and maintaining a healthy diet
- Engaging in activities you find enjoyable
- Maintaining ties to social supports
- Managing stress through problem-solving, relaxation, or meditation
- Thinking helpful thoughts
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