Mental health & working remotely
With the exception of a few industries, employers everywhere are asking staff to work from home in an effort to tackle the further spreading of Coronavirus.
- March 23, 2020
The cultural shift
Working together in one office space was once the only option for businesses because the technology we take for granted today simply didn’t exist.
As it became readily available, trivial factors such as employers fearing productivity losses emerged. This resulted in some organizations only allowing certain people to work from home once or twice a week, while others adopted a more flexible approach.
In a digital era, it’s interesting to see such a mixture of attitudes concerning remote working. Businesses who once treated it as a taboo or only accepted it on a regular yet restrictive basis, are now experiencing a major cultural shift as a result of the pandemic.
With everything happening so suddenly, newly dispersed teams are having to adapt fast and deal with challenges individually like loneliness, which is often associated with long-term homeworking.
Keep reading for tips on how to stay healthy and productive during this difficult time.
Coping while working from home
Use these 5 tips to help you cope while working in solitude:
1. Get dressed
Being able to have a lie-in and get dressed a little later than usual may seem great at first, but it can soon get out of hand and actually put you in a depressive state, negatively impacting your motivation for the day.
Psychologically prepare yourself by getting washed and dressed.
2. Socialize from a distance
Being parted from the people you see on a daily basis can be difficult. After all, you spend most of your time with them, so it can feel like a real loss when they’re no longer sitting by your side. Having the right collaboration software in place, however, helps by allowing you to digitally communicate with your team.
For me, being able to hear and physically see my colleagues while working from home helps make the experience a little less lonely.
Stay connected not just for working purposes but to socialize too. If you’re like me and you enjoy talking to people in and outside of your department, then you’ll appreciate applications like Slack and Confluence for the communication side of things, and Jira and Docs for the collaborative side where you can give and receive feedback/updates in real-time.
3. Set up a dedicated workspace
Whether you’re in a five-bedroom house or a one-bedroom flat, it’s important to dedicate an area for work. This can be at the dining table or if you’ve got the space, another room separate to the one you’d normally relax in.
4. Stick to core hours
When you’re used to being in an office environment and leaving it to go home at the end of the day, it’s easier to disconnect yourself from work. If you’re not changing your environment, it’s just as easy to get sucked into working overtime. Establishing a routine can help.
When setting this up, make sure to include plenty of breaks, get up and move around as you would do in the office. Too much screen time is also not good for your eyes and can intensify feelings of fatigue.
5. Nature is the best medicine
Despite several countries going into lockdown, people are still being encouraged to run, cycle or walk outdoors for exercise. Just be sure to keep your distance from others who are out doing the same thing.
Being out in nature can boost your mood and improve your focus. Don’t be a prisoner in your own home, go outside for some fresh air (unless of course, you’re self-isolating).
Don’t go it alone
You can do most of the things outlined in this article by yourself, but we can help improve how you stay connected with your colleagues.
As an Atlassian Platinum Solution Partner, we can assist with your collaborative needs through our bespoke solutions which can be delivered on-site or remotely.
Get Training, Consultancy, Cloud Hosting, Support and more from the remote working experts.
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