Looking After Your Mental Health When Working from Home
Paying attention to our mental health at work has never been more important. Because of the Coronavirus pandemic many of us have gone from working in a busy office to permanently working in our homes. This has increased feeling of uncertainty, stress and loneliness. Alongside this, many of us are trying to look after our children while we work, which is no easy task!
If you are feeling the pressures of working from home and want some ideas on how to take care of your mental health, here are some helpful tips shared by our team…
Talk to others
We all get overwhelmed at work sometimes, but if your mounting workload or sales targets are having an impact on your mental health then it is time to speak up. Talk to your colleagues about how you are feeling. They may have some helpful advice on how to manage your workload better. If possible talk to your manager about how they can support you or what changes could be made to improve things. If you don’t feel able to talk to someone at work, make sure you talk to your friends and family. This is where the saying ‘a problem shared is a problem halved’ really does stand true.
Keep active
If you are feeling the pressures of work, it can make a huge difference to get away from your desk at lunchtime. Go for a walk or run around your neighbourhood, or go to the gym before or after work. Regular exercise will not only keep your body healthy, but research shows that exercise releases chemicals in your brain which help you to feel better, increase concentration and improve sleep.
Stay connected
While working from home does have its benefits, like no early morning commuting, it can also feel more isolating. However, there are many ways that you can stay in touch with your colleagues and it is important to do so. Human interaction is essential to our mental health, so make time to socialise virtually. This could be a regular morning one-to-one or a team call every Friday. You should also remind yourself to use the phone instead of emailing; you never know who else could do with hearing a friendly voice.
Switch off
Finally, remember to set boundaries when you are working from home and switch off when the work day is over. This means logging out of any digital platforms you use for work. This will help you to avoid distracting notifications and reduce the temptation to look at your emails in the evenings and on weekends. Instead make time for the things you enjoy, like spending time with your family or pursuing creative hobbies.
