The ‘Working from home’ concept has become common after the pandemic. Though people were forced to work from home during that time, now many people voluntarily choose to work from home. When you work from home you get to stay at home the whole day surrounded by your family members and create a healthy balance between personal and work life. However, it is not an ‘all good’ situation like it seems. Working from home can be as stressful and inconvenient as working outside.
When you are home, it can be difficult to isolate yourself for hours from what’s happening around your home. You may have to deal with the laundry, cooking, and other household work while you struggle to meet your work deadline. When you work from home, it is also challenging to maintain a disciplined life. Many people work late at night and wake up late in the morning. This affects their physical and mental health.
At home you don’t get to socialize, the way you can at the office. At the office, you get a space to release the emotional stress that occurs at home. You meet with your colleagues and stay on your toes to complete the day’s work as your manager is monitoring you all the time. At home, you are on your own. You get a lot of flexibility which may sometimes work against you. As there is no strict monitoring system, you may not concentrate well on your work and miss deadlines.
In this type of work, you may need to sit for long hours in front of the computer. This is bad for your posture and eyes; you may start suffering from back pain. The mental stress is also there as you always juggle between personal and professional work for the entire day. So, you need to take care of yourself and try to create a nice balance between your work and personal life when you work from home.
Mental Health Tips For Those Working From Home
Here are some mental health tips for you.
Create Routine
You should create a routine for both your personal and work life. If you are an early riser and if you are working on flexible hours then it’s better to start working early when the rest of your family members are still sleeping. In the morning your mind stays fresh and you can best utilize the time. If you have to maintain the office time then wake up at a time you would normally do if you had to go to the office. This way you will get time to exercise and have breakfast. Take a coffee break and lunch break just the way you would do at the office. Make sure you take small breaks; otherwise, you will become very stressed. You should get out of your chair and stretch yourself. Getting away from the desk will give some rest to your eyes too.
Prepare Yourself
While working in pajamas can be relaxing, it may not create a proper work environment or turn you into the mood of working. So, it’s a good habit to get out of your pajamas before working. You should set up a specific time for your work and allow the other household work to fit in. So, for example, if you usually cook at home for your family then prepare the meal before you start working. If you head towards your kitchen while you are working then both your work and cooking will be negatively affected. Tell your family and friends about your work timing so that they don’t show up at an inconvenient time.
Have A Quiet And Organized Workspace
Your workspace should be comfortable and noise-free. You should organize the desk and sit on a proper chair that won’t affect your posture if you work for long hours. Working on the bed or sofa is not desirable. Use an ergonomic chair and you can use a pillow for your lumber support. If you don’t feel like sitting all day, you can have a standing desk beside you. Try not to attend any social calls or other distractions when you are working. Make sure that the room you are working in has natural light and things like plants and candles to boost your mood.
Stay Connected
One of the drawbacks of working from home is not socializing. This may lead to depression. You can chat with your colleagues on video calls. Instead of writing emails, you can call them. Human interaction is necessary when you are working to boost your mental well-being.
Don’t Work Late
Sleep loss is a common thing for people working from home. This is because they find it difficult to separate their personal life from their professional life, so end up working long hours. This can severely affect your mental well-being and your physical health as well. It may cause depression as well. So, you should set up a work schedule and try your best to complete work within the regular hours.
Eat Healthy
Stock up your workspace with healthy food. You should take little breaks throughout the day and eat healthy snacks. This will uplift your mood and you will feel more energetic. You need to stay hydrated all the time, so keep a bottle of water on your desk. Take a proper lunch break.
Take Time Off When Needed
Working from home doesn’t mean that you have to work seven days a week. You should take weekends off. Also, if you are sick, don’t work. Take the day off by informing your employer. This will keep you stress-free as you won’t have to worry about missing deadlines.
Go To A Therapist
When you work from home, you miss the vibrant office environment. You feel depressed as you can’t have all the chit-chats and laughs with your colleagues. It’s all work when you are working from home. If you feel depressed then you should talk to a therapist. You can also do meditation or yoga to maintain a healthy mental state.
Conclusion
There can be nothing better than working from home if you learn how to balance your personal and work life, maintain mental health, and stick to a routine. Don’t think that you are available to work 24/7; treat your work time as normal office hours. That way you won’t exert too much pressure on your body or mind. You must make your family members understand what you expect from them when you are working at home. That way they can support you and help you to stay stress-free all the time.
