How to protect your mental health while working from home

Working from home can mean you lose out on the social and emotional benefits that come from leaving the house each morning and sharing a workplace with your colleagues. It can be stressful in different ways for different people. Here are some simple tips from AJ Products to help you stay calm, focused and connected while working remotely.

Don’t stay emotionally isolated

Stay in touch with your colleagues throughout the day. Make sure you talk to people on the phone or video calls as well as using email and messaging apps. If you don’t usually do this, make it a goal to have at least one "proper" conversation each day. Set up regular "all-hands" team meetings where you can all catch up on work and personal news. Even if you’re not always talking about work, chatting to your colleagues strengthens your working relationship, boosts morale and prevents you from feeling isolated, so don’t feel guilty about it.

Exercise

Keep moving. Exercise isn’t just good for your physical fitness; it can also have an impact on your mental wellbeing. Exercise boosts your physical and mental energy levels, relieves stress, improves memory, helps you sleep better and boosts your overall mood through the release of endorphins. Get outside for a walk or a run if you can but there are plenty of things you can do indoors to stay active too. There are lots of workout videos available for free online, including these 10-minute workouts from the NHS. Get on your exercise bike if you have one or try active office furniture, such as a balance ball chair or sit-stand desk, to keep you on the go even while you work. It could even be as simple as just running up and down the stairs a few times. Remember to look after your body: eat healthily, stay hydrated and make sure you get enough sleep.

Get some natural light

Try to set up your desk near a window where you can see out and where you will get some natural light. Access to natural light improves sleep cycles and wards off seasonal depression by increasing the brain’s production of the mood-enhancing chemical serotonin. This will help you to stay focused, awake and productive during your workday. The view is also important. Being able to see outside, particularly if you can see green spaces, can also boost your mood and help you to stay relaxed. Make sure the light is right for you. Because home lighting is rarely as bright as office lighting, you may need a desk lamp to ensure your workspace is adequately lit so you don’t strain your eyes.

Share your concerns

If you’re experiencing anxiety whether that’s about the current health crisis, your job or your general wellbeing, speak to someone. It doesn’t matter if that’s your friends, your family, your colleagues or your boss, sharing your worries always helps. It may be a cliché to say a problem shared is a problem halved but allowing people to help you by making practical suggestions, sharing their coping techniques or just offering a friendly ear will help relive the burden. And if you’re worried about your job, talk to your manager – he or she can help.

Practice mindfulness techniques

Mindfulness means focusing on the present moment, where you are and what you’re doing instead of being consumed by what’s going on around you. Some simple techniques can help you to relax when you’re feeling anxious or stressed.

• Breathing: Start by breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth slowly. One breath cycle should last for approximately 6 seconds. Focus on your breathing and let go of your thoughts.
• Observation: Choose a natural object from within your immediate environment and focus on watching it for a minute or two. Don’t do anything except allow yourself to watch it as if you were seeing it for the first time and think about its place in the world.
• Appreciation: Find 5 small things in your day that usually go unappreciated. It could be anything from putting your feet into your favourite slippers to listening to the birds in the morning. Think about each one and how it improves your life in small but meaningful ways.

If you’re concerned, the NHS has lots of great tips on how to look after your mental health. Visit NHS Every Mind Matters.