How to keep your mental health in check when working from home
Image source: forbes
Working from home has never been more prevalent than it is right now. The perks of working from home seem obvious; there's no need to commute to and from work, you have a better work- life balance and you're able to work from any location, so why does it not feel so great sometimes?
There are a number of factors in which working from home can negatively impact our mental health. With increased isolation, risk of over working and an increase of sleep issues, it is up to us to keep our mental health in check, but how?
Stick to a schedule
To most people, the idea of being able to roll out of bed at the very last minute, chuck on a dressing gown and head straight to the office seems ideal. But if you aren't managing your time wisely it could lead to some unhealthy habits.
Create a strict schedule, similar to one you would see in a regular office environment. Have a consistent start time, finish time and break time to create a healthy routine for yourself.
Social cues play a huge role in our day to day life. When you’re not surrounded by colleagues talking about what they feel like for lunch, or what food they prepped that week, it can be difficult to stop working and take a break. Especially when you feel like the work is flowing. An extra hour here and two hours there, it all adds up. It's very easy to overwork yourself and not even realise it. Maintaining a strict break system so that your brain and body knows when to relax, guilt free, will have a positive effect on your overall working experience.
For a lot of us working from home is a new concept, it's going to take some time to adjust to switching off from work. For the first week or two it could be a good idea to make small plans with yourself or others after work. Doing things like going for a walk or getting changed out of your work clothes may help switch your mind off of work.
Have a set routine
Become familiar with what habits do and don't work for you so that you can create a set routine. Everyone is different, some work best with six hours of sleep and some need eight hours of sleep. Use what you know to slowly create a routine that works for you.
Despite the fact that your office is now conveniently within walking distance from your bedroom, try your best not to just jump out of bed and go straight to work. Set yourself up for success, wake up with enough time to have breakfast, shower and get dressed before starting your day. This may help to switch your mind into work mode in the morning.
Something you may want to try is to create a consistent morning and night routine. One that allows you to have some time for yourself before and after work. Something that I will always recommend is not touching your phone first thing in the morning. Give yourself the time to be fully present before you dive into work or social media. Whatever your own routine looks like, it should help to optimise your energy levels and help set you up to have a good day.
Set boundaries
Switching off from work can be hard enough already, but what if your office is also the place you sleep? I think we've all been there, you're suddenly working from home, no peering eyes from colleagues, and you suddenly come up with the brilliant idea of working from the comfort of your own bed. If sleep is something you value… And you should! Please avoid doing this.
Essentially, if you’re working from bed your brain will begin to associate that area with work. When it's time to fall asleep your brain will find it a lot more difficult to switch off because you are still in the ‘office’ or work environment. Rather than seeing your bed as a calm and relaxing place, it will now associate it with being alert and awake. Setting up a separate space, ideally outside of your bedroom, will not only help you to separate your work life from your home life, but it will also improve the quality of your sleep.
Prioritise movement
For a lot of people the idea of exercising seems daunting. Instead of looking at it as exercise, try looking at it from a different angle. If you're working from home there is probably a lot of time spent behind your desk, followed by more time spent on the couch. Prioritising movement is prioritising your health, mental and physical.
Rather than joining a gym or doing a 5k run right off the bat, make micro commitments to yourself. This will help you to follow through as they are realistic goals that you can achieve. Start off small like going for a walk whilst taking phone calls or checking emails.
It's no secret that sitting for prolonged periods of time does absolutely nothing to help our bodies. A perk of working from home is that no one can see you! So go lie down on your floor and do some yoga or some basic stretches to help that back of yours! This only takes five to ten minutes out of your day and your body will thank you in the long run.
Movement doesn't always have to be intense! Start off slow and eventually your body will crave it rather than dread it. Moving our bodies can help reduce stress whilst also producing endorphins to make us feel great.
Summary
Working from home doesn't automatically mean our mental health will be impacted negatively. In fact there are ample opportunities for us to thrive in this working environment. However if you’re not careful you could go down a road filled with unhealthy habits and potentially an unhealthy mind. Try out some of these tips and see if they work for you! And if not below are a few other options to go with. Remember it doesn't have to be drastic. It’s the small changes that can have a large impact.
Connect to your co- workers. You may not be in the office but you can still contact your colleagues. Hop on a zoom call a couple times a week so that you can still feel a part of a team.
Try mindfulness practices, e.g Meditation, yoga, breath work or even journaling before or after work. There are endless studies on how effective mindfulness is in regards to mental health.
Clean environment, clear mind. Make sure your space is clean. Studies show it can positively affect your mindset and productivity.
Do activities that you enjoy! Working from home saves you money on commuting to and from work, so use that extra gas money! Whether that's driving to the beach or going to netball training. As long as you're having fun, keep doing it!
Georgia Tillman