Working from home and your mental wellbeing
In a ‘new normal’ where working from home is becoming more the norm than ever before, there are mental health problems that can occur as a result of this. We wanted to offer some advice to ensure you protect your mental health and mental wellbeing whilst remote working.. With Coronavirus (covid-19) changing the way people work, here are some things you can do to look after your wellbeing whilst working from home or hybrid working:
Add structure to your day
Plan out your day just as you would in the office. It can be easy to forget to take your breaks. Giving yourself set start, break and finish working hours may be the start to the structure you need. Working from home allows you to flexible work but adding structure around your day can help.
Go for a walk to a local park
Nature can do your mental health wonders. You should leave the house. Go for a walk around the local park to clear your head when needed or even walk to the local shop. Keeping yourself physically active is so important for your wellbeing and physical health.
Get dressed
It would be so easy to stay in your pyjamas all day but try getting dressed. Getting dressed can do you the world of good. Some people find it easier to be productive if they do things that they would normally do in a work day and getting dressed is one of these things.
Avoid working in the bedroom if possible
Studies have shown that working in your bedroom can interfere with your sleep. You could become to associate the bedroom with work and automatically switch to ‘thinking mode’ when trying to sleep. If possible set up a work space somewhere else.
Keep in touch with the team
Working from home may make you feel disconnected from the team. It’s important to make sure you keep the lines of communication open, especially with those who you work closely with. Keeping updated with your team can reassure you on your sense of purpose within the business too.
Use your ‘commute time’ as ‘you time’
Use the time you would be commuting as time for yourself. This is a good time to exercise, listening to a podcast etc. Use the time you would usually spend traveling as ‘me time’.
Working from home isn’t for everyone, it’s easy to slip into a rut. It’s important to look after your wellbeing so it doesn’t catch you off guard.
You can find our tips on how to work from home effectively here.
If you’ve tried these techniques but are still struggling with your mental health as you continue to work from home, you can find out how to access the NHS mental health and wellbeing services here.