How Working From Home Is Negatively Impacting Our Mental Health

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Enter The Dragon: How Working From Home Is Negatively Impacting Our Mental Health

Dragon Coworking

Remote working, or working from home, has become the ‘new normal’ since the global pandemic has forced many of us out of a traditional office environment, for perhaps the first time in years. 

Whether you’re lucky enough to have your own home-office space, or you’re balancing a laptop on your knee on the sofa whilst trying to watch the kids, we’ve all learnt to adapt, and the media has been quick to point out the positives of working from home. 

No more stressful commutes, a more relaxed environment (perhaps!), and emerging stories of professionals who haven’t eaten a meal with their kids for years now being able to sit down for a family meal every day, are certainly plus-points for a lot of office workers. 

There have even been reports that some workers find that being at home is more productive, and there has been support for at least some time spent remote working to continue indefinitely.

But what about the negatives?

Finding it hard to get motivated, getting caught up in homelife when you’re meant to be working, along with feelings of loneliness and isolation, have all been reported by many of those who have been working remotely. 

With mental health issues becoming less taboo, and more and more people speaking out about their own personal experiences, how are these feelings negatively impacting the mental health of our nation?

A survey carried out by the largest UK healthcare charity, Nuffield Health, reveals that 80% of those working from home feel that it has been worse for their mental health and well-being than being ‘at work’. 

Problems including feeling less connected to their colleagues, being less active, and suffering from disturbed sleep all make the list of ‘cons’ when it comes to working remotely. Nearly half of those working from home are doing so from a sofa or bedroom and have reported suffering from musculoskeletal problems as a result….and over half (56%), have said that they’ve found it hard to ‘switch off’ at the end of the work day. 

Interestingly, those who are home with multiple people during their working day (family members, children, or house mates for example) were more likely to suffer problems with their mental health (41%), compared to those who live alone (29%)

Let’s take a closer look at some of the ways that the mental health of the at-home workforce has been impacted…

Feelings Of Not Being Able To Take A Break And The Fear Of Looking ‘Good’

A percentage of those working from home (36%) have said that working remotely and not being in the same workspace as their colleagues has left them feeling that they can’t take a break. 

The pressure to always be ready with a quick response from their computers has led to a lot of people feeling high levels of stress, anxiety and loneliness. Some of these feelings have been heightened by the increased use of video calls – a valuable link, sure – but some have reported added feelings of stress from the pressure of having to look good on Zoom calls. 

This might seem like an almost ‘frivolous’ worry, but concerns about the house looking spotless in the background of calls, personal appearance, and giving the impression of being ‘together’ as an employee, parent and spouse, all rated highly on remote-workers lists of fears. 

Struggling With Work-Life Balance

Almost a third of those working from home have reported finding it difficult to separate their home and work lives since leaving the office to work from the kitchen table.

People are admitting to working longer hours as they find it harder to switch off from the work day, answering emails and calls into the evenings and at weekends. The feeling of being constantly ‘on-call’ ‘is causing many workers to feel burnt out and stressed, and therefore the work is suffering in the long run. 

We’ve all experienced stress at work I’m sure, but nine times out of ten we can leave it at our desks at the end of the day to deal with tomorrow, rather than take it home with us. 

Working from home means that those issues are already in the home, and 34% of people  believe that it is placing a strain on their relationships with partners or children. A stark contrast to  those heartwarming stories of rediscovering bonds with those with love and live with that have been reported almost daily in the press and on social media.  

Dealing With Isolation And Loneliness

The social side of a work environment is a big deal to many of us.

More often than not colleagues become friends; we enjoy hearing about each other’s home lives, sharing stories and our weekend plans. 

We feed off of each other professionally too, sharing ideas, brainstorming and problem solving as part of a team. Of course we can do that remotely to a degree, but reading someone’s reaction to your groundbreaking money-saving idea over the phone or via video call isn’t the same – and workers are recognising this more and more the longer we’re out of the office. 

These feelings can end up impacting home life too. 

The question asked in homes all over the country every evening – “How was your day, dear?” has suddenly become redundant – because we already know! We were there! No more regaling the family over dinner with tales of wild, demanding customers, no more updates on Bill’s future at the company after he lost all of those files…a huge part of office culture, and what we take home from it, is gone – possibly forever!

Over time, feelings of stress, anxiety and isolation or loneliness can cause depression, leading to sleeplessness, loss of appetite, and lack of motivation – and that’s the reality of  what’s on the flip side of all those people who are relishing working from home. 

Combating these feelings isn’t easy, but there are some steps that you can take to create some work-life boundaries if you feel it’s all getting too much. 

Such as:

Make A Conscious Effort To Separate Your Work Day And Your Home Life

No mean feat if your partner is vacuuming the room when a client call comes in, or you’re trying to concentrate at the kitchen table while the kids tuck into their Coco Pops, but creating some boundaries can help support your mental health and wellbeing. 

It’s not going to be possible for everyone to occupy a workspace within the home, away from distractions – but, if you do – at the end of the work day: leave it. Shut the door, and don’t open it again until your work day begins tomorrow morning. 

If you’re working whilst mucking in with the rest of the family, find a different way to mark the end of your working day.

It could be as simple as shutting your laptop down rather than leaving it open or switching off your work phone. If you know you’re going to have to check back in at some point after you’ve finished work, set aside a specific time to do so. 

For example, don’t check your work emails and messages at 7pm after dinner….and then again at 9.30…and then once more at 11.30pm before bed. Tell yourself that you will have one last check-in at 7.30pm – 8.00pm, and then switch off again. Anything not dealt with after that can wait until tomorrow. 

It’s going to be tempting to reply to ‘just one more message’ on the office group chat, or to read ‘just one more’ email, but if your work day just merges with your evening you’re not giving yourself quality time to relax, unwind, and spend time with your loved ones.

Tell Colleagues How It Is

This is going to require you to be quite proactive, but basically you need to communicate your boundaries with your remote work colleagues. Let them know what times you’ll be taking breaks so that they know when to expect you to be available and when not. 

It’s simple: “I take lunch at 12, so I’ll give you a call at 1” “I’ll be away from the computer for about half hour at 3, so send those documents over before then”.

This will give you a bit of peace of mind that a colleague isn’t going to be desperately trying to get hold of you during certain times, and means that you can be back and ready to work feeling refreshed and invigorated after having taken a well-earned break. 

Find New Ways To Connect

If it’s the pressures associated with video calls that’s stressing you out, start communicating differently. 

Pick up the phone to a colleague or client instead, or keep the camera switched off during meetings. An advantage of this (apart from the fact no one will be able to see the washing up that’s piling up in the sink behind you) is that you’ll be able to focus more on what’s being said rather than feeling awkward or conscious about what you look like.

Working from home really seems to be a ‘swings and roundabouts’ type of situation that has divided the nation. On one hand, no commuting, saving money on lunches and coffees, and working in our pjs has many people hoping that remote working never ends…whereas for others, the difficulty of balancing working and home life, the stress and loneliness, and the strain on relationships with loved ones has them clamouring to get back to the office.

Could coworking spaces be the answer to this very modern problem? They are certainly providing a wonderful middle-ground now that government restrictions have lifted by offering the best of both worlds. 

To find out more about coworking spaces and whether it could be the solution for you, give us a call on 01634 957 077

How Working From Home Is Negatively Impacting Our Mental Health

By /

[themify_layout_part id=”2558″]

Enter The Dragon: How Working From Home Is Negatively Impacting Our Mental Health

Dragon Coworking

Remote working, or working from home, has become the ‘new normal’ since the global pandemic has forced many of us out of a traditional office environment, for perhaps the first time in years. 

Whether you’re lucky enough to have your own home-office space, or you’re balancing a laptop on your knee on the sofa whilst trying to watch the kids, we’ve all learnt to adapt, and the media has been quick to point out the positives of working from home. 

No more stressful commutes, a more relaxed environment (perhaps!), and emerging stories of professionals who haven’t eaten a meal with their kids for years now being able to sit down for a family meal every day, are certainly plus-points for a lot of office workers. 

There have even been reports that some workers find that being at home is more productive, and there has been support for at least some time spent remote working to continue indefinitely.

But what about the negatives?

Finding it hard to get motivated, getting caught up in homelife when you’re meant to be working, along with feelings of loneliness and isolation, have all been reported by many of those who have been working remotely. 

With mental health issues becoming less taboo, and more and more people speaking out about their own personal experiences, how are these feelings negatively impacting the mental health of our nation?

A survey carried out by the largest UK healthcare charity, Nuffield Health, reveals that 80% of those working from home feel that it has been worse for their mental health and well-being than being ‘at work’. 

Problems including feeling less connected to their colleagues, being less active, and suffering from disturbed sleep all make the list of ‘cons’ when it comes to working remotely. Nearly half of those working from home are doing so from a sofa or bedroom and have reported suffering from musculoskeletal problems as a result….and over half (56%), have said that they’ve found it hard to ‘switch off’ at the end of the work day. 

Interestingly, those who are home with multiple people during their working day (family members, children, or house mates for example) were more likely to suffer problems with their mental health (41%), compared to those who live alone (29%)

Let’s take a closer look at some of the ways that the mental health of the at-home workforce has been impacted…

Feelings Of Not Being Able To Take A Break And The Fear Of Looking ‘Good’

A percentage of those working from home (36%) have said that working remotely and not being in the same workspace as their colleagues has left them feeling that they can’t take a break. 

The pressure to always be ready with a quick response from their computers has led to a lot of people feeling high levels of stress, anxiety and loneliness. Some of these feelings have been heightened by the increased use of video calls – a valuable link, sure – but some have reported added feelings of stress from the pressure of having to look good on Zoom calls. 

This might seem like an almost ‘frivolous’ worry, but concerns about the house looking spotless in the background of calls, personal appearance, and giving the impression of being ‘together’ as an employee, parent and spouse, all rated highly on remote-workers lists of fears. 

Struggling With Work-Life Balance

Almost a third of those working from home have reported finding it difficult to separate their home and work lives since leaving the office to work from the kitchen table.

People are admitting to working longer hours as they find it harder to switch off from the work day, answering emails and calls into the evenings and at weekends. The feeling of being constantly ‘on-call’ ‘is causing many workers to feel burnt out and stressed, and therefore the work is suffering in the long run. 

We’ve all experienced stress at work I’m sure, but nine times out of ten we can leave it at our desks at the end of the day to deal with tomorrow, rather than take it home with us. 

Working from home means that those issues are already in the home, and 34% of people  believe that it is placing a strain on their relationships with partners or children. A stark contrast to  those heartwarming stories of rediscovering bonds with those with love and live with that have been reported almost daily in the press and on social media.  

Dealing With Isolation And Loneliness

The social side of a work environment is a big deal to many of us.

More often than not colleagues become friends; we enjoy hearing about each other’s home lives, sharing stories and our weekend plans. 

We feed off of each other professionally too, sharing ideas, brainstorming and problem solving as part of a team. Of course we can do that remotely to a degree, but reading someone’s reaction to your groundbreaking money-saving idea over the phone or via video call isn’t the same – and workers are recognising this more and more the longer we’re out of the office. 

These feelings can end up impacting home life too. 

The question asked in homes all over the country every evening – “How was your day, dear?” has suddenly become redundant – because we already know! We were there! No more regaling the family over dinner with tales of wild, demanding customers, no more updates on Bill’s future at the company after he lost all of those files…a huge part of office culture, and what we take home from it, is gone – possibly forever!

Over time, feelings of stress, anxiety and isolation or loneliness can cause depression, leading to sleeplessness, loss of appetite, and lack of motivation – and that’s the reality of  what’s on the flip side of all those people who are relishing working from home. 

Combating these feelings isn’t easy, but there are some steps that you can take to create some work-life boundaries if you feel it’s all getting too much. 

Such as:

Make A Conscious Effort To Separate Your Work Day And Your Home Life

No mean feat if your partner is vacuuming the room when a client call comes in, or you’re trying to concentrate at the kitchen table while the kids tuck into their Coco Pops, but creating some boundaries can help support your mental health and wellbeing. 

It’s not going to be possible for everyone to occupy a workspace within the home, away from distractions – but, if you do – at the end of the work day: leave it. Shut the door, and don’t open it again until your work day begins tomorrow morning. 

If you’re working whilst mucking in with the rest of the family, find a different way to mark the end of your working day.

It could be as simple as shutting your laptop down rather than leaving it open or switching off your work phone. If you know you’re going to have to check back in at some point after you’ve finished work, set aside a specific time to do so. 

For example, don’t check your work emails and messages at 7pm after dinner….and then again at 9.30…and then once more at 11.30pm before bed. Tell yourself that you will have one last check-in at 7.30pm – 8.00pm, and then switch off again. Anything not dealt with after that can wait until tomorrow. 

It’s going to be tempting to reply to ‘just one more message’ on the office group chat, or to read ‘just one more’ email, but if your work day just merges with your evening you’re not giving yourself quality time to relax, unwind, and spend time with your loved ones.

Tell Colleagues How It Is

This is going to require you to be quite proactive, but basically you need to communicate your boundaries with your remote work colleagues. Let them know what times you’ll be taking breaks so that they know when to expect you to be available and when not. 

It’s simple: “I take lunch at 12, so I’ll give you a call at 1” “I’ll be away from the computer for about half hour at 3, so send those documents over before then”.

This will give you a bit of peace of mind that a colleague isn’t going to be desperately trying to get hold of you during certain times, and means that you can be back and ready to work feeling refreshed and invigorated after having taken a well-earned break. 

Find New Ways To Connect

If it’s the pressures associated with video calls that’s stressing you out, start communicating differently. 

Pick up the phone to a colleague or client instead, or keep the camera switched off during meetings. An advantage of this (apart from the fact no one will be able to see the washing up that’s piling up in the sink behind you) is that you’ll be able to focus more on what’s being said rather than feeling awkward or conscious about what you look like.

Working from home really seems to be a ‘swings and roundabouts’ type of situation that has divided the nation. On one hand, no commuting, saving money on lunches and coffees, and working in our pjs has many people hoping that remote working never ends…whereas for others, the difficulty of balancing working and home life, the stress and loneliness, and the strain on relationships with loved ones has them clamouring to get back to the office.

Could coworking spaces be the answer to this very modern problem? They are certainly providing a wonderful middle-ground now that government restrictions have lifted by offering the best of both worlds. 

To find out more about coworking spaces and whether it could be the solution for you, give us a call on 01634 957 077

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