How to Take Care of Your Mental Health and Wellbeing While Working Remotely
Covid-19 has impacted everyone’s mental health drastically. The pandemic has affected the way in which we live our lives. This has changed our working environment, which has been a big change in peoples lives.
A lot of factors go into the way in which remote working has taken a toll on people’s mental health.
The unfamiliarity of working from home has caused many people to stress more. The lack of human interaction has caused many people to feel lonely, isolated, and drained. As people work alone they do not have as much support as they once had from working in an office, this may cause some doubt and worry. Lastly, people find it a lot harder to relax in their own home as it is difficult to separate from their work.
It is vital that we take care of our mental health to get us through this tough time. Here are some useful tips to take care of your mental health and wellbeing during this pandemic.
Mindfulness
Working from home can cause a lot of stress and anxiety because it is not our normal working environment. It is very easy for our mind to fixate on all the work tasks that need to be completed, but this can lead to poor mental health.
Mindfulness is very important for our overall mental health and wellbeing. It is all about living life in the present while being aware of your feeling’s thoughts and bodily sensations. At first, mindfulness can seem like an intangible concept. However, practising mindfulness is quite simply, the act of concentrating on your breathing, being aware of what is going on around you in the present moment. The more you do it, the more the simplicity of it becomes clear and the benefits manifold. It lightens the mind and the spirit.
If you are a beginner or this seems like a foreign concept for you do not fret; here is an easy mindfulness exercise that can be done daily.
1: Breathe in (Count for 6 seconds approximately)
2: Hold in (count for 2 seconds)
3: Let the breath out slowly (count for 8 seconds approximately)
This exercise should help when you need to calm down. It is important that while doing this you just focus on your breathing and not think about anything work-related.
Get some fresh air
While working from home sometimes it may be difficult to get yourself outside as commuting is not an option. Staying inside for the whole day is very detrimental to your mental health and wellbeing. It is vital that everyone gets outside for 15 minutes a day minimum to take a breather from being cooped up in your workspace.
Going outside is very beneficial for good mental health and well-being as it lowers anxiety while lifting your overall mood. Studies have shown by getting some fresh air has improved their memory, ability to focus and even boosting their creativity.
Here are some ways in which you can enjoy the outdoors. Go for a socially distanced walk with your friend. Walk to your nearest café and treat yourself to a coffee. Or simply just sit outside taking the fresh air in and the sounds of nature.
Make sure that you try to go outside every day as it will increase your quality of life and overall wellbeing.
Do not put too much pressure on yourself
Working from home is not as easy as it sounds. As it is a different working environment it is easy to get distracted at home than it is at work, especially if you have a busy household.
Working from home makes it difficult to produce the same content as you might be used to, due to a lack of resources.
This can cause you to spiral into worrisome thoughts about your work not being up to standard. Make sure you do not drain yourself by overworking yourself as this will lead to burnout.
It is important that you are mindful of how difficult this transition was and that you give yourself credit. Make sure that you are not dwelling on your work thinking it could be better, as this can lead to excessive anxiety.
At the end of the workday remind yourself that you did the best you could possibly do given the circumstances.
Be proud of yourself as it is a difficult time.
Have something to look forward to
Covid-19 has stripped us away from the fun exciting things in life, which makes it hard for people to stay positive. As you work from home you feel as though your life revolves around work and there is not much else to life. This is very damaging to your mental health and wellbeing. Although activities are restricted, we can still enjoy the simple things in life that make it all worth it!
At the start of each day ask yourself “what is one thing I would like to do today.” This activity can be as simplistic as you like but make sure you give yourself time for it.
For example, it could be as simple as watching your favourite tv show in the evening or having your favourite meal. Make sure you are doing your favourite activity in a work-free zone as it will allow you to separate the two.
It is important that we have something to look forward to as it gets us through the day and motivates us. It is especially important during the pandemic as every day feels the same. So, make sure you treat yourself to one treat for the day whatever that may be.
Overall working from home is very hard but your mental health should be your top priority. Do not let yourself get too stressed out about work as it has no benefit. Make sure you take care of yourself properly to get you through this difficult time. Even though this pandemic feels like it is never-ending, every day we are one step closer to normality! If you are really struggling make sure you reach out.
