Introduction
It’s a new era for working, the Covid-19 pandemic has shaken up our livesleft us to work out what works best. Whether you work from home or not, the pandemic has changed the way we function in the workplace forever.
How are you feeling about this new way of working? It’s no secret that we’re all feeling added pressure from work, 41.09% even stated that their anxiety levels are higher at home than in the office. Unfortunately, it looks like we’re not going to be back in the office anytime soon, so it’s good to be proactive about your mental health when working at home.
It’s not all doomgloom though, many have had positive experiences working from home too. With no commuting, more time to relax,time with loved ones, it’s no surprise that some of us want to continue working this way indefinitely.
Keep on reading to explore the positivenegative effects of working from home on your mental health.
What Are The Negative Impacts Of Working From Home?
If you’re struggling with remote work, don’t feel guilty – the majority of us are. There is a range of unique impacts of working from home that many of us were unprepared for. Here are some of the common negative impacts of remote work.
Extra Stress
Many report higher stress levels since working at home. With employers giving workers higher workloadsthe office hours stretching into the night, it can sometimes feel like you don’t have time for anything else.
The lines between personal timework time are blurred when working at home. Employers often expect you to spend more time on projects as you don’t have an excuse for being busy. Though you are at home, you still need separate time in the eveningson weekends for yourself. It’s more important than ever that you refresh your brainde-stress after a difficult week.
Tiredness
Another top complaint is tirednessfatigue. When you’re working alone it’s difficult to boost your energy levels – especially if you’re sitting in one place all day. If you’ve been struggling to sleep since working from home, you’re not the only one!
Combine this with a larger workload, isolation,general world stressthere’s no wonder we don’t want to get out of bed. Symptoms of depressionanxiety are on the risemany are turning to unhealthy coping mechanisms to cope with the repetitiveness of work from home life too.
Lack Of Motivation
Similar to tiredness, lack of motivation is also a common impact of remote work. It’s difficult to concentrate on professional jobs when you’re sitting in your living room. Motivation may be especially hard if you have family or roommates also working from home, leaving you distractedfrustrated.
If you can, try to create a home office or dedicate one part of the home as your workstation. A designated space will help your brain distinguish which area is for workwhich is for relaxing. This will improve your motivationoverall stress levels too.
Isolation
Feeling more lonelyisolated than usual? You’re not the only one. Lack of connection to others is one of the toughest challenges that come with remote work, leaving workers more susceptible to depression. Though you have emailsZoom calls, these interactions don’t have the natural flow of an in-person conversation.
This impact is one of the main reasons workers want to get back to the office as soon as possible. You may experience more feelings of loneliness if you’re living alone, so make sure you’re being proactivescheduling time to chat to friendsfamily throughout the day too.
Are There Physical Impacts?
Since working from home is causing us to experience a lot more stress, there are some physical side effects too. These include hormone changes, skin problems (such as acneeczema), menstrual problems, stomach issues, heart disease, higher blood pressure, diabetes,obesity too.
When you’re working from home you must make sure you’re looking after your mentalphysical health. Small healthy habits are a great way to make a big long-term difference in your health, so be sure to stay on top of your healthy eatingexercise too.
What Are The Benefits Of Working From Home?
Though we’ve discussed a lot of negative impacts, there have been some positive impacts too. Some workers have had a positive experience when working from home. Once you have good coping mechanisms in place, remote work can be very pleasant!
More Time
If you haven’t been assigned more work to fill your extra hours, you’ve probably noticed that the extra time saved when you’re not commuting is enjoyable. Some workers had commute times of three to four hours, so working from home gives them nearly half a workday back!
This extra time is great for your general well-being. Not only do you get to spend extra hours with loved ones, but you can spend more time doing things you enjoy too. Many workers have started old hobbies again, spent more time exercising,some like to relax beforeafter work!
If you’ve spent years of your life commuting, this new free time will feel revolutionary. Whether you invest it into goals or take time to live a more peaceful life, it’s always a good thing. This is one of the main reasons some workers don’t want to return to the office.
Commuting also has negative health impacts too, so stopping this daily journey benefits your physical health. Studies have shown long commutes caused higher blood pressure, obesity,decreased sleep quality. They also meant workers were left feeling isolated as they attend fewer social events too.
Extra Productivity
Some of us may struggle with productivity when working from home, but others found that being at home helped them complete more tasks. With no office distractions, some workers were able to get down to the task at hand quickermore efficiently. When work is going smoother, you’re always more likely to feel more at peace mentally.
This productivity boost also helps you in your personal life too! More timeproductivity allowed some people to start side hustles, personal projects,home renovations too. Of course, this extra time depends on the job you do – but for many working at home is great for increased work satisfaction.
Saving More Money
Money can be the cause of many stresses, especially when you’re spending money on travel, expensive lunches,other work-related purchases. One of the main benefits of working from home was that it cost less! It’s amazing how much money it costs day-to-ay when you’re working from the officecutting down on these expenses makes a big difference.
Some families even took the chance to move homes to a more affordable area. As working from home removed geographical limitations, you can now ditch your expensive city rentmove to a quieter area. This is ideal for those who are raising familieswant a slower pace of life too.
The Best Mental Health Tips
If you’re working from homestruggling with the negative impacts of the lifestyle, there are some tips to help you thrive. While remote work can be difficult, it doesn’t have to be!
Set Work Boundaries
One of the key steps you need to take when working from home is to set boundaries. A majority of the negative impacts from remote work come from your work lifepersonal life falling out of balance.
It’s common to need to work late nowthen, but you shouldn’t be doing this daily or on weekends. If you often find yourself in a flurry of emails after office hours, try to stop replying unless it’s an urgent situation. If the email isn’t important, leave it in your inbox until the next morning. Not only will this leave you with more free time, but it will also give you mental clarity too.
Look After Your Body
Physical health leads to better mental health! With this in mind, you need to make sure you’re taking active steps to keep your physical health in check. From eating well to hydration, your body needs good fuel to perform mentally.
If you know you should eat better, try making a weekly meal plan to help you stay on track. Include a variety of dishestake the time to prepare them. Fresh veggies are essential to a work lunch! If you don’t have enough time to cook during the day, you can try batch cooking a meal on the weekend. This will save you time in the weekit’ll stop you from reaching for junk food alternatives too!
Another way to look after your body is through exercise. Though it’s not everyone’s favorite activity, getting active is important for good mentalphysical health. If you don’t like the idea of hitting the gym, try some home workouts or daily yoga. Even a quick 30-minute walk on your lunch break will have you feeling more energized.
Create A Home Office
If motivation is difficult for you at home, you can try to create a home office. When you dedicate a space that’s just for work, your brain will start to associate it with productivity. This is much healthier for your mind than livingworking in the same space, as your brain will start to relax in other areas of your home.
Popular home office purchases include back support chairs, ergonomic keyboards, blue light glasses,motivational posters too. When you decorate the office in your style you’ll feel more at ease there too – so have fun with it! Use websites like Pinterest to search for design inspirationmake your office an enjoyable side project.
Reach Out To Friends
Working from home can leave you feeling isolatedlonely, but there are some steps you can take to improve your daily life. If you can, try video calling familyfriends as often as possible. This will give you that much-needed social interactionit’ll also take your mind off of work – a win-win!
If you want to chat or vent about work, but don’t have any friends that can relate you should consider joining a forum or Facebook group. This is a great tip if you’re a freelancer too, as you can establish yourself in an online community of like-minded workers. Whether you want to get advice or just talk, it’s good to know others in your industry.
A Change Of Scenery
When you’re working from home, you don’t get a change of scenerythis is important for maintaining mental wellbeing. If you have time, go for a walk daily, this is great for your physical health plus it’ll help your mind decompress after a workday. Also, fresh air does wonders for your health too, especially after long periods inside. Walking in nature is a proven way to boost your moodlower your anxiety levels.
Conclusion
Working from home does indeed have some negative effects on our mental health, but there are lots of positive aspects of remote work too. When you are proactive about your mental healthyou take daily steps to mitigate your stress, working from home can be an enjoyable experience.
Make sure you try some of the mental health tips in this article to improve your daily routine. However, if you’re experiencing symptoms of depression or anxiety always reach out to a professional for help if needed. There’s no shame in asking for helpprofessionals always want the best for youyour health.
Do you enjoy working from home? Let us know your best mental health tips in the comments.
