5 WAYS TO STAY SANE WHEN YOU ARE WORKING FROM HOME
By: Edapt Wellness
Tags: Workfromhome2020, Stress Management, Work From Home, Work Life Balance, Psychology

A year back, a middle aged man glued to his laptop in the middle of the living room was quite a rare sight. But since Corona hit the international papers, ‘work from home’ has become a culture among the white collar workers. Ironically, the so-called white collar (formal/executive dress code) doesn’t exist anymore. There have been numerous discussions and debates on how this drastic change would affect the corporate world. And among these investigations, the ones that rose to sudden popularity are the ones on mental health and psychological wellbeing. As fortunate and promising as it sounds, the problem with popularity and demand for information these days is the sheer volume of content that is put into the world wide web whether authentic or misleading. Here, this article tries to help you guide through the info-jungle and provide you with easy and practical ways to maintain your mental health during your office hours at home.

‘Work from home’ is hardly a new concept. It has been there since the arrival of wireless communication and portable computers. However, the nature of the ‘WFH’ has changed over time. And especially the kind of WFH experience that we are going through in this time of crisis is only a bit, if not at all related to its previous versions. Well, what’s the difference you ask? For starters, today we are choosing to work from home merely because of the lack of any other options and not exactly because we would like to spend time at home. And more importantly, the tremendous pressure we are under on account of the COVID pandemic makes the current situation anything but normal. So it is important to address the issue of how to stay psychologically fit when you are working from home, specifically in these uncertain times. The following are 5 easy ways to help you get things done without going crazy as well:

Make everything organised: It is important to keep everything in order when you are working from home. Reserve separate spaces for different projects and tasks so that you won’t lose time looking for that single piece of paper with the updated contact number of your company’s old client. Make use of sticky notes and reminders to keep you on the tracks. To be more time effective, create a to-do list at the beginning of each working day. And constantly follow-up on your tasks and note down the important details. One of the merits of having to work from home is that mostly you can schedule your own working time. So, make a time schedule that suits you considering factors like your peak performance, comfort of other family members, chores at home, etc.

Simulate the office environment: People often complain that they don’t feel like working when they are at home, which makes sense as you are conditioned to relax at home and work at office. Therefore, in order to trick your mind to shift into the work mode, you can create an office space at home. This needn’t be anything over the top- just a plain desktop and accessories, stationeries and other office essentials. More importantly, make arrangements to keep in touch with your colleagues during the office hours. And if possible communicate through video chats and face-to-face online meetings rather than by mere texting. Or at least, use your own voice to communicate. Office isn’t just a space for work- you make friends there, plan trips, talk behind your boss, and discuss the issues of the corporate world and so on. When I say, simulate the office environment, I mean this whole experience. But also make sure that the casual talks don’t cross the line and interfere with your work efficiency.

Work-life balance: This is a concept that needs to be extensively discussed during this time. It is easy to lose track of time and eventually get stuck in a routine when you are working from home. But especially in a time when your natural response to everything is fear, it is essential to keep your mind stress-free and relaxed. Moreover, this is a time you should spend with your loved ones, who are probably also under pressure and uncertain of the future. Promise yourself that no matter what, you’ll always find time to spend with your spouse, kids, parents, and friends. You can watch a sit-com or play a board game or try cooking a meal with your family. This will cultivate a positive vibe throughout the family sphere and that positive energy will reflect in your work as well.

Staying physically fit and active: It is often said that the only physical activity an IT professional gets is when he goes to the office and returns back. Well, this is true for a lot of different professions. And with the offices closed now, it means the physical activity of these individuals have taken a dip as well. This is a serious issue as this might affect our physical health, immunity power and even mental health. And God oh God, we need all the immunity we can get in the world today. So, get a running-shoe or buy a treadmill and get ready to sweat to your heart’s content. And it goes without saying, never sit in a bad posture or strain your eyes. You can take precautionary measures like a posture corrector and computer glasses to tackle these issues.

Be flexible and embrace flexibility: Especially if you are newbie in the workforce, you’ll be tempted to give it your all in the initial phase of your employment. It might not occur to you at first, but you’ll eventually realize that you’ve been exhausting all your energy without proportional results. And this realization would, without proper intervention lead to despair and disappointment. The thing is that you can’t expect to reap the same results in today’s time when you are struggling with the pandemic situation. So it is important to be flexible towards your employees and embrace the flexibility if you are one. Yes, you should work hard irrespective of what goes on around the world, but not at the expense of your mental health.