Working from home-stress is common among remote workers. That is why learning to care for your mental health while working from home is critical in today's ever-expanding remote workforce.
Managing your mental health at work is just as important as meeting project deadlines and remaining productive. Employees working from home are more likely to experience loneliness and burnout, primarily if they have never worked from home.
We're sharing helpful habits and tips you can implement in your daily life to help remote employees manage stress and maintain good mental health.
Improve your mental health while remote
Here are some tips and habits to help you maintain your mental health while working from home.
Make your mental health a top priority
It may seem obvious, but with a calendar full of meetings, tasks, deadlines, family, physical hygiene, and children, thinking about improving your mental health is often the last thing on your mind. On the other hand, companies and employees must invest in mental health-promoting activities and initiatives, making it easier to assist struggling employees before their problems worsen.
Employees can protect their mental health by taking frequent breaks throughout the day and during meetings. They can also try to complete their tasks using the popular Pomodoro time management technique. Or have your smartwatch or egg timer buzz you now and then. This allows for breaks where they can do laundry, check in on their children, or take a few minutes to breathe and cultivate a gratitude habit.
When it comes to thriving in new work environments, mindset is fundamental. Implementing some of these habits can improve your mental health and help you gain more energy to be more productive at work and home.
Be open and accept that you do not have to be perfect
Many employees who work remotely are under pressure to demonstrate their worth to their employers.
This may cause you to conceal your difficulties as you adjust to new work arrangements and discourage you from seeking assistance from coworkers and your employer. It may also lead to you taking on more work than you can handle to demonstrate that you are productive even when working from home.
This is when everyone, not just those in positions of authority, must demonstrate leadership. You can create a better culture of support, empathy, and productivity within your organization if you lead the way by encouraging good mental health habits and discussions during team meetings.
Create and follow a routine
Regarding good work-from-home habits, creating a routine and sticking to it are at the top of the list. Routines improve your mental health by reducing the number of daily decisions you must make.
When you are organized and prepared for the tasks you have planned for the day, you create more mental space and have more energy to get things done. You may not get everything done, but you will feel more at ease and in control as you go about your day.
It is important to note that organizing your routine should include "what" you do during the workday and "where" you do it. Make a dedicated workspace for yourself by investing in an ergonomic chair that supports your back, neck, and spine.
To keep your body healthy, try to schedule daily workouts or walks. According to doctors, regular exercise helps to reduce anxiety and increase the flow of endorphins in the body.
Transparently track your work
One of the most common concerns of employees new to working remotely is determining how to present their work in an easy format accessible to all team members.
Control your information consumption
While it's essential to stay up to date on the latest news, it's also critical to protect yourself from the onslaught of information — and misinformation.
You can protect your mental health at work by only reading relevant news from a few reliable sources and ignoring everything else. Constantly receiving negative information from around the world harms your mental health, increasing your anxiety and stress levels, as well as your outlook and work performance.
Instead, substitute a positive habit for checking the news. Drink a glass of water, take a deep breath, or meditate whenever you are worrying or reading information. These healthy habits can help you turn the desire to stay up to date on world events into a means of staying healthy.
Looking after your coworkers' mental health
Staying connected is one of the most proactive ways to care for coworkers' mental health who work from home.
You can check in on coworkers who appear to be struggling more than others using group chats, videoconferences, and one-on-one phone conversations.
Suggest game nights or a fun virtual team-building activity foster closeness and friendship. Most importantly, you can listen to and assist those who are alone or under great stress.
