How to deal with Stress, Anxiety and Unhealthy Home Food choicesMr Rishikesh Kumar, Founder & CEO at Xtraliving

Working from home can propose a unique set of challenges, especially when it comes to your health. Plenty of alluring snacks in the kitchen, the scarcity of social stimulation and the temptation to work in an unsound position, like in bed, can all sabotage an otherwise virtuous employee’s best health intentions.

Work from home has been a rising trend for several years, and the Covid-19 pandemic has revealed the opportunities and challenges of working from home for many people that may not have considered it an option. While the immediate health advantages of withdrawing common work spaces are obvious in the face of a frightening pandemic, it is necessary to examine the health consequences that can come with working remotely.

A Toss on your Mental Health

Work from home can drastically challenge your mental health. It can make normally optimistic, productive worker bees into tired, unmotivated, irritable toads. Many employees are experiencing unanticipated mental health consequences from mandated remote work, and it is important to be cognizant of this reality. Two causes for concern are isolation and burnout, which can further lead to depression, stress and anxiety.

The disconnectivity from your colleagues and the rest of the world may make you feel lonely and isolated. And loneliness accompanies higher rates of depression, anxiety, and somatic symptoms like random pain. Working from home also requires time management, invoicing skills, marketing, IT troubleshooting, customer service, and many more. Switching between these hats several times a day will wear out anyone.

Therefore it’s important to take care of your mental health when you work from home, and you will shrug off the anxiety, depression, and loneliness. Let’s see how it can be done-

Maintain a Routine

Over 60% of people say their flexible schedule is the best part of working remotely. But it’s how you organize and manage those hours in your day that makes all the difference. First of all, carve out a designated workplace and then prepare a to-do list of everything that needs to be done. Organizing your tasks and outlining your goals, makes you mentally prepare for what to expect during the day.

Then it’s easier to work towards achieving the goals you set out, rather than vaguely meandering towards them. Its also important to schedule analog breaks in order to give your neck, shoulders, eyes and back a much-needed rest.

Get up and Excercise

Fight the incite to stay sedentary and schedule an active time to get your heart pumping. Practice deep breathing exercises throughout your day. Exercising 20 to 30 minutes daily can substantially lower anxiety levels. It will strengthen your immune system plus you’ll also boost endorphins and serotonin to flood your brain with happiness. Above all, it helps to keep your body lean and fit, thus keeping you active throughout the day.

Stock up on Healthy Treats

The junk food and snacking issue looms large when you are working at home and especially if you’re feeling stressed. It can be easy to stroll into the kitchen when you know it’s full of treats. Therefore, keep temptation at bay by buying fresh vegetables, and keeping the candy and junk food out of sight. Keeping a bowl of fresh fruit or nuts by your desk is a perfect way to satisfy your hunger in between meals. Thinking of eating healthy lunches is very important as it gives you the nourishment and the consistent energy.

Do not Forget to Socialize

Of course, if you are trying to stay healthy in the wake of something like the coronavirus, socializing in-person with others might night be the best idea. But commonly, if you are working from home, socializing becomes important than ever. Isolation and disconnection are frequent problems in remote work life. Take advantage of opportunities to talk to your old school friends or with your family members. Making sure you nurture relationships is crucial to mental health—especially when working from home.

Finally, make an appointment with yourself

Self-care is actually making yourself a priority in everyday life, especially when working from home. You can start each day with a gratitude practice, listing a few things for which you are grateful and also adding a new practise to your regime which could help you to make a better version of yourself.

It’s all about searching healthy ways to comfort yourself, set priorities, and stay connected. Especially now, when none of us knows what is waiting ahead, these things can give you a much-needed peace of mind that translates to making working into a meaningful activity — not one more big stressor.