Top 3 Mental Health Issues To Watch Out for While Working From Home

As work is starting to figure out how to respond to the public health crisis of COVID-19 it does not appear that most of us will return to our pre-pandemic working from your office. With having to working remotely it appears that some of us may experience adverse effects. In a report by The Atlantic Times, researchers found that purely remote work has caused workers to feel isolated and lonely as well as reporting the loss of motivation and creativity. 

In these uncertain times and now having to work remotely, taking care of your mental health is just as important as making sure that you are physically healthy. To address your mental issues, it’s important to manage the impact of working remotely on your mental health. 

Here are the three most common issues faced by online workers today. 

• Isolation and Loneliness 

While you may not be excited for your commute to the office or annoying coworkers and other distractions, you may still miss chatting and with others in your workplace. It won’t take more than a couple of months for you to realize how that kind of interaction doesn’t translate over Slack or Zoom meetings. 

Humans are inherently social creatures. While levels of interaction may vary between individuals, it’s undeniable that human beings need each other to survive—not just physically but socially, too! With COVID-19 forcing people into strict social distancing protocol, it’s easy to see why working from home in such conditions is leaving people with feelings isolated and lonely. 

• Anxiety and Stress 

While it may seem counter-intuitive, working from home can induce more pressure to produce output. This is because managers often expect their employees to increase their productivity as an exchange for their freedom to work from home. 

This leads to even more stress, as employees find it hard to distinguish the time between work and rest. You may feel the pressure to work outside your usual working hours as distinguishing work from home becomes much more difficult. 

• Depression  

The American Psychiatric Association defines depression as a “common and serious medical illness that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think and how you act.” 

Depression is often the culmination of negative emotions, such as the one listed above, and may lead to changes in appetite, trouble sleeping, and loss of energy, to name a few. The uncertainty of living through a pandemic, coupled with the lack of social interaction, can leave people feeling disconnected and hopeless about the future. 

What You Can Do to Manage the Impact of Working Remotely on Your Mental Health?

Now that you’re aware of the signs of mental health issues, you are better equipped to deal with them. Among the many recommended ways to address feelings of loneliness is to try and reach out as often as you can to friends and family. Aside from helping you reduce feelings of loneliness, you may also help out somebody who is going through the same issues as you are.

To reduce work-related stress, it’s a good idea to try and keep a healthy routine. If possible, find a working space outside your bedroom to create a separation from work and rest. If all else fails, you should consider seeking the services of a therapist near you. 

Toronto Talk Therapy provides mental health services in Toronto, Canada. We offer online counselling services for people who want to improve their overall quality of life. Contact us today to learn more!