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Mental Health Working From Home

by | Dec 7, 2020 | Mental Health Awareness, Newcastle

Mental Health – Working From Home.

Depending on your occupation and home-life circumstances, working from home can have significant mental health benefits, or it can be a trigger for stress, anxiety, and depression.

For some people, working from home eliminates stressors such as:

  • commuting
  • distractions
  • workplace politics

The removal of these stressors and the autonomy to structure their day, enables better time management, increasing productivity and improving job satisfaction.

In addition to this, individuals that are on the autism spectrum and sufferers of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) can benefit from feeling in control of their environment. However, for some people the reverse is true.

 

Mental Health – Working From Your Bedroom

Within my private practice I have witnessed how a lack of social interactions, a loss of structure, and the juggling of childcare while working from a bedroom area is having a profound psychological effect on the individual and their relationships.

If you are feeling the impact of boundaries blurring between your personal and work life and you are having to work from a bedroom, giving some thought and attention to your working environment can greatly support your physical and mental health.

Your bedroom area is ideally best suited for relaxation, sleep, and intimacy, and for some people it can be hard to feel motivated while working in this environment. For others working from the comfort of their bed can feel like a safe calming space, particularly when anxiety is an issue.

Working From Home – Your Mindset

There are many variables that affect how you view your circumstances. If you are struggling working from your environment, your mindset is critical not only for your work performance, but also for your long term emotional and physical health. An approach that consists of an environment and routine that engenders a feel-good factor will support every area of your life. When possible incorporate:
  • exercise
  • regular breaks
  • social interaction
into your daily routine. For some people, listening to background music can help with concentration. Working on your mindset with techniques such as meditation, mindfulness, and reframing your thinking will enable your mind to become more focused, rather than running around haphazardly or ruminating.

Resources

There are many resources accessible to aid with guided meditations and I often recommend the apps Headspace and Calm to help with quieting the mind and subsequently supporting better sleep. However, if your stress levels are increasing and you are feeling anxious or depressed, talking with a counsellor could help with gaining awareness surrounding your behavioural patterns, and as a result, enabling life changing decisions.