How to Improve Mental Health While Working Remote During COVID-19

Posted by Shavonne Shaw on

Stay in touch with friends and family. image source: Stock Image 

In March 2020, the president declared a nationwide emergency due to the COVID-19 virus (Presidential Actions, 2020). As a result, businesses shut down, people were jobless, and some were mandated to work from home. According to NNCI, fewer than 6% of Americans worked from home before the pandemic. As of May 2020, 48.7 million people reported working from home (Coate, 2021). Employers like Twitter, Apple, Zillow, and many other companies have announced their employees will work remote indefinitely. Working from home can be mentally draining for some. Knowing how to improve your mental health is key.

Mental Health

Working from home isn’t always a walk in the park. Of course, we all imagine ourselves on the couch with our cozy blankets, chilling in our jammies. Unfortunately, that is not always the case. Poor mental health can sneak up on us. We can put a stop to that and start the journey of improvement.

I know talking about mental health can be scary, but it doesn’t have to be. Recognizing signs are a great way to start putting your mental health first. Why? Because prioritizing yourself is important! . Not speaking to anyone, feeling lonely, zero motivation, anxiety and depression are all negative symptoms of poor mental health.

5 ways you can improve your mental health while working remote

1. Keep a regular schedule

The American Psychiatric Association suggests maintaining a schedule or routine is great for mental health (APA, 2020). Similar as if you were to go into work, have a routine to keep your work separated from your personal life. This can look like eating breakfast and still taking a lunch break. Continue with your normal daily tasks and responsibilities. Not only will this keep your day in order, it will keep your day feeling as normal as possible.

2. Stay in touch with family and friends

Have a support system to enhance your mental health. You may feel lonely or isolated, which can lead to feelings of depression. It is so important to continue to communicate with your support group. Zoom and Facetime are just two great apps to stay connected with family and friends.

3. Create a comfortable environment

Design your own workspace to make it comfortable for you. A comfortable environment creates a space that eases your mind and allows you to focus on your work. A comfortable workspace increases productivity and your mood. If you like candles and fall scents, add some to your workspace! Find what makes you happy and comfortable.

4. Set boundaries

Set boundaries to help keep work and life separate. Knowing when to unplug from your screen will benefit you. You may find yourself struggling with management issues and want to spend more time working. Working from home can seem like there’s always tasks that need to be completed. According to The Happiness Index , “maintaining a healthy work-life balance is not only important for health and relationships, but it can also improve your productivity, and ultimately performance” (Wedgwood, 2019).

5. Exercise Regularly

Exercise to promote your mental health. Moving our bodies improves mood and promotes better sleep. Staying active while working from home can prevent that dreaded increase weight gain and sleep difficulties. Adapting healthy habits like drinking water, yoga, and stretching are all practices that improve mental health.

Taking preventative measures to avoid the challenges of remote work are beneficial. Our mental health and well-being shouldn’t have to ache from working remote. Finding ways to support a healthy and balanced lifestyle is the key to improving mental health when working from home.

 

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