The Long Term Psychological Impact of Working from Home
Adjusting to the malaise of ground hog day
Ring! Ring! It’s 7:00 A.M.!
Move y’self to go again
Cold water in the face
Brings you back to this awful place
Knuckle merchants and you bankers, too
Must get up an’ learn those rules ~ The Clash / The Magnificent Seven
Prior to April 2020, the round-the-clock rigors of making my way via the MTA to my office in Times Square from my home in Brooklyn felt like a grueling task. Then the pandemic hit and lock down measures were established. Suddenly my home became my base for a virtual office. Initially finding my rhythm with a new routine that allowed for greater flexibility was a welcome reprieve. However that perspective was short-lived as a rapid influx of referrals quickly maxed out my psychotherapy practice, making it necessary to establish a waiting list and a list of clinicians with availability. In fact, The Washington Post reported that one month into the COVID-19 pandemic, texts to federal government mental health hotlines increased by about 1,000%.
Within a few months eye strain from excessive hours online, kicked in. The absence of stimulation, travel and social engagement ignited a chronic state of psychological inertia. Back pains and the physical decline that accompanies a sedentary existence took hold. My emotional…
