How to manage your mental health when working from home

Working from home has its perks. No more commuting, no more being chained to a desk, no more arguing over the air conditioning – but remote working is not without its challenges.

Covid-19 has changed how we work and this has seen a rise in the number of people working alone from their kitchen table or home office.

While many have made the adjustment with ease, we know that working from home can put a strain on your mental health.

As a result, we’d like to share our advice for managing your mental wellbeing while working from home.

Get into a routine

Working away from the office can see routine go out the window – but we believe it’s important to introduce structure to your day.

One of the biggest challenges for remote workers is the blurring of lines between home and work. This can lead to increased feelings of stress and an inability to truly switch off.

The clock is arguably the most effective tool for combatting this.

Get up at the same time every day, start work at the same time every day, and most importantly, finish work at the same time every day; and when we say finish, we mean FINISH. Turn off the computer and step away.

Gained an hour from not commuting?

Then schedule in some ‘personal wellbeing’ time for when you would have been on the road. Read, listen to a podcast, go for a walk – use this time to be kind to yourself.

Getting your daily routine right will have a huge impact on how you feel and help you remain productive.

Exercise regularly

We all know how important exercise is for our mental health, but working from home isn’t always conducive to an active lifestyle.

This means you need to make time to exercise.

Exercise releases endorphins, which have been shown to improve low mood, symptoms of anxiety and feeling of social isolation.

But how much exercise do you need?

During a busy working day (even when working from home), it can be difficult to squeeze in exercise – but we’d definitely advocate making the effort to do so.

The government recommends 150 minutes (or 2.5 hours) of moderate exercise a week. Moderate exercise is anything that raises the heart rate, so activities like running or cycling. If that seems a little steep, especially from a standing start, try a brisk, 20 minute walk before or after you start work.

Stay in touch with others

While you might be enjoying the peace, quiet and comfort of working in your own space, the reduction of human contact can lead to feelings of isolation.

This is why it’s so important for remote workers to stay connected.

Instead of sending an email, why not pick up the phone? Instead of replying to a group message, why not set up a video call?

Hearing and seeing others can make you feel less alone and improve morale within the company.

Oh, and don’t forget to virtually socialise. Being able to talk about work stuff online is great, but it’s also important to be able to support and catch-up with each other personally. Keep these social channels separate, but update them regularly.

Be honest with your employer

While many have quickly settled into the dynamic of working from home, it’s not for everyone.

If you’re finding it difficult, we recommend speaking to your employer.

Here at Aquarium, we’re proud of how our business has adapted to remote working, but we appreciate that some of our team might find it challenging. This is why we open all lines of communication with our employees and encourage them to be honest with us if there are any issues.

We always try our best to accommodate our workers, in whatever circumstances, and believe that any other responsible employer would do the same.

To end

Working from home can be isolating, especially if you’ve become accustomed to the hustle and bustle of a busy office.

As a result, we like to check in on our staff and make sure that they’re looking after themselves.

Adapting to remote working can be a bit hit and miss, but try to remain positive and remember that a responsible employer should explore every possible option to ease the transition.