Introduction
May is once again here to bring a promise of better days ahead, as well to inspire us to look within and put care first - it’s Mental Health Awareness Month.
Mental Health Awareness Month was first celebrated in America in 1949. It aims to raise awareness and educate people about mental illnesses. The initiative was started by Mental Health America (MHA), which was known as the National Association for Mental Health back in the day. In line with Mental Health Awareness Month in the USA, the European Union celebrates European Mental Health Week which takes place between May 19 and May 25. This year’s theme is “Care for mental health, invest in social rights”.
With more and more people choosing a remote job over going to an office every day, it’s now more important than ever to talk about reducing work from home stress, recognizing the signs of a decline in mental health and taking care of ourselves and the people we love. Keep on reading as we’re about to discuss how to balance mental health with the demands of remote jobs.
The duality of remote work
In a post-pandemic world, remote work is the new black. The reason behind the rise in popularity of remote jobs is simple - people enjoy the flexibility companies offer, geographic borders no longer confining talent.
nPloy’s annual study on candidates’ expectations vs employers’ reality shows that more and more talent prefer working remotely - while 22% of people said they’d prefer a fully remote work model in 2023, in 2024 the number rose to 34.5%. And employers seem to be taking this shift seriously - only 16% of companies offered fully remote work in 2023 in comparison to 24.6% in 2024. And yes, while data isn’t perfectly comparable due to differing respondent samples and sizes, both surveys were conducted among statistically significant groups from the same target audience, offering valuable insight into emerging labor market trends.
While remote work has a lot of benefits, it’s also a reason why a quarter of people working from home feel lonely and depressed. Blurred work-life boundaries are often a cause for burnout, isolation taking a toll. In a fast-paced world where we often forget to take care of ourselves, is there something we can do to improve our mental well-being?
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The negatives of working from home
Even when having the freedom to choose where to work from, remote work is often a cause for anxiety among employees. If you find yourself asking how to work from home and not go crazy, you’re not alone. Let’s go through a list of the most common mental health challenges remote workers face.
- Isolation
Working from the comfort of your own home is great until you realize you haven’t spoken aloud or interacted with another person in the real world for hours, maybe even days. Remote workers often spend their time on their own, and being isolated is a shortcut to feeling lonely.
Experts recognize three types of distance - physical, operational and affinity. Physical distance is all about where people work from and refers to places and time zones. Operational distance is more about the obstacles people face when trying to work together - poor Wi-Fi connection and miscommunication, for example. And while employers may have less influence over the first two types, affinity distance refers to the quality of connection among coworkers. A remote work environment is a great place for managers to turn into leaders, fostering a real sense of community even when people live apart. But more on this in another article.
- Blurred lines between professional and personal life
According to GWI, 76% of remote employees say they’ve worked late, overtime, or checked messages outside of working hours at least once in the week preceding the survey. Switching off becomes harder, especially when you have a task to complete or a strict deadline. Burnout is always lurking behind the next corner. The syndrome, conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed, is not yet categorized as a medical condition, but the consequences of it can affect both mental and physical health.
Ironically, improper work-life balance can also cause reduced productivity. When working remotely, employees face various distractions - pets, family members or roommates, house chores, favorite series and so on, and so on. It’s not always easy to concentrate when working from the comfort of your own home.
The question, however, remains - is work just too much or are we unable to prioritize and tend to procrastinate? - Inequity among employees and limited growth opportunities
Some roles are more suitable for remote work than others, which can cause a divide between employees. In a company where not everyone works from home, remote workers may miss out on informal networking, conversations with leadership or being top-of-mind for promotions.
5 things you can do to keep your mental health in check while working remotely
We’ve already mentioned the problems, now let’s go look for the solution. Check out nPloy’s list of things you can do to help yourself stay sane and productive while working remotely. Let’s dive right in!
Reinforce the boundaries between work and personal life and create a structured routine
It’s not just about sticking to work hours, it’s also about creating a dedicated work space in your home or switching between working from your place, a coffee house or a coworking space. Make sure people around you are aware of your working hours and try not to mingle (too much) with laundry and dusting while at work. Create a routine that works for you (see what we did there?) and try to stick to it - after all, it can take as little as 18 days to create a habit.
Organize your day
Prioritize your task and start checking them off the to-do list one by one, starting from the major ones. The dopamine surge you get when marking something as done is no joke - your body literally floods you with feelings of accomplishment, satisfaction and happiness.
Recognize the importance of breaks
Yes, work is important, but you are, too. Turns out our brains are literally not wired to maintain constant focus for long periods of time and regular breaks help us reduce stress, maintain performance and increase energy levels. A coffee or tea break, a short walk or stretching session can help ease your mind and sharpen your focus once you get back to your tasks. Movement is great for both your physical and mental wellbeing and the Pomodoro technique, for example, is great at reminding us so.
Stay connected
Working remotely should not be a synonym for being lonely. Socialize with your colleagues - technologies are supposed to help us connect, whether over a shared interest or a virtual call with a person we care about. There’s a variety of team activities that can be done online and the possibility to meet your colleagues in the real world is always on the table, even if sometimes it requires a plane ticket. And yes, we know your home can be very cozy, but go outside to meet your friends after work and don’t let work overcome your life.
Practice mindfulness and keep your stress levels in check
The world is full of possibilities:
- You can start journaling and reflect on your day after closing the laptop. Here are some journaling prompts you can use to wrap up a day at work:
What did I do well today, no matter how small?
What are three things I’m grateful for today?
What emotions am I carrying right now?
What do I need to feel more grounded this evening?
What boundaries do I want to set for tomorrow to protect my peace?
What would I say to myself as a kind, supportive friend?
- You can follow a guided meditation on YouTube - this one here will help you release anxiety and unwind. And while you’re in Headspace’s channel, you can browse their vast library of meditation, music, tips and more.
- You can get an app like Headspace or Calm and have a trusted buddy that takes care of your mental health at the tip of your fingers.
It doesn’t matter which one you choose as long as you carve some time for yourself and let your mind wander to a better, calmer place.
What can you do during Mental Health Awareness Month (and beyond)
Every effort counts when it comes to health. Here are a few ideas on what you can do.
Don’t hold it in if you’re struggling
Talk with people around you and voice your concerns. If you have a problem and are not ready to be fully open about it, you can anonymously post in Real Talks, one of the nPloy clubs, and find support without judgment. If the case is serious, don’t be afraid to seek professional help.
Join the discussion in the Real Talks Club
Share your opinion
Don’t settle
If you’ve already tried everything on the planet Earth and work just keeps sucking the life out of you, maybe it’s time for a new job. After all, thousands of people praise remote work for a reason, maybe you just haven’t found the right place yet.
Conclusion
It’s important for us as a society to understand that taking care of ourselves, of our mental health, should be a priority all year round, not just during May. What Mental Health Awareness Month does is inspire us to put ourselves first while also helping others. And there are a few things more fulfilling than that.
FAQs
Can remote work cause anxiety?
Yes, remote work can cause anxiety - remote workers often feel isolated and overloaded with work, which increases stress levels. However, following a few simple steps to help restore the balance between personal and professional life or looking for a job in a company that promotes employee wellbeing can reduce anxiety and help you feel inspired and productive.
Does remote work lack social interaction?
While remote work doesn’t require meeting in person every day, it can still offer a great amount of social interaction. Collaborating with colleagues on shared projects is a form of communication and many companies organize different initiatives to keep workers connected even when working remotely.
Does remote work hurt well-being and work-life balance?
When done right, remote work does not hurt well-being and work-life balance. When you define clear boundaries between personal and professional, and organize your day in a way that helps complete work tasks without compromising important aspects of your life, remote work is not damaging to your mental health.
