Owing to the pandemic, a large number of people around the world are working from home. While this has some very obvious pros (after all, who wouldn’t love working from the comfort of their bed), the disadvantages are becoming more apparent. Several surveys have revealed astonishingly high numbers of people who say remote working is negatively affecting their mental health. And it makes sense; lack of socialization with colleagues, irregular communication, staying at home all the time – these could take a toll on mental health.
If you’re working from home, you’re likely feeling the brunt of it as well. Fortunately, there are many things you can do to maintain good mental health and preserve your mental sanity. One of the first steps is to increase your human connection; this is especially true for people who love socializing and are used to being around others. Talking with other people –friends, family members, and colleagues – can help you relax and feel better. You can meet them in person or call them over Zoom or phone.
Having a well-defined routine is another thing that will help. Stress mounts when you’re unorganized and unproductive. The antidote to this is being organized every day with a clear routine. When you know what you should be doing at any given them and when you know what your goals are, it will help bring clarity to your mind, which will then bring the necessary relief. When working from home, many professionals choose to wake up late, delay their work till the last minute and indulge in time-wasting activities. This can negatively affect mental health.
Our physical health influences our mental health. How you are physically, is how you will feel mentally. Meaning, if you’re not in good physical health, it will negatively affect how you feel, your mood, and your overall emotional composure. The opposite is just as true. So, if you don’t do so already, start taking better care of your physical health. Start working out every day; even light exercise can help. You can do yoga as well. There are infinite resources available online that can help you exercise properly.
The food we eat not only affects how we look but also how we feel. Similar to working out, eating the right food positively affects our mental health. Contrarily, if you’re gorging on unhealthy, high-carb items, you will experience tiredness, fatigue; it can lead to stress and even anxiety and depression. So, give your diet a hard look. How does it look? Is it healthy or not? Make necessary changes in your daily meals to eat wholesome foods that are nutrition-rich.
Remote working doesn’t necessarily have to be bad for mental health. In fact, it can be more enjoyable, productive, and fulfilling if the working professionals take some basic measures that are aimed at improving their mental health; like talking to friends and family, having a defined daily routine, exercising daily, and eating healthy meals. If you’re one of those for whom remote working is turning out to be a bad experience, take the mentioned measures; you will soon start noticing positive differences.
As a final note, if you’re highly stressed, anxious, depressed, and/or are dealing with other problems, you should consider getting professional help. Just like you would visit your doctor for flu and substance use disorders center NC for your drug addiction, similarly, you must seek help for your mental health problems as well. Google “mental health center near me” and find an experienced doctor.
