How to Incorporate Mental Hygiene into your #WFH Routine

Working from home has been heralded as a revolutionary shift in not just where we work, but also how we work — more engaged and productive with less stress. According to a 2019 study by Buffer, 99% of participants surveyed around the world would like some sort of part-time remote work option. This underlines an overwhelming desire for millions of people to spend more time working remotely, rather than at the office. In addition, organizations are able to lower overhead costs, employees have more control over their own time, and everyone is happier. Right?

Well, that’s not quite the full picture.

Working from home could have some drawbacks as well. Below are four warning signs that your #WFH routine may be taking a toll on your mental health, and how you can combat these early signs to stay happy and productive.

#1

Isolation can feel crippling at times, regardless of whether or not you live by yourself. We have evolved to be social creatures, but at home, you may often feel like it’s just you — alone. This is one of the reasons why many entrepreneurs talk about how lonely it is to start a company, and if it’s not addressed early on, social isolation can lead to depression or even worse.

How to fight it: We recommend setting up regular calls with friends and colleagues. In addition, arranging a few set times during the day to share memes, funny videos, and or just your thoughts over messenger can also alleviate some of the isolation and loneliness you may feel.

#2

Insecurity is something all of us have felt at one point or another, but we don’t usually think of it in terms of working remotely. When we’re isolated, we may feel disconnected from the team. You’re not sure what others are doing, where they are, or what meetings are happening without you. If left unaddressed, this can lead to anxiety or even neuroticism — two traits that can be detrimental to your work.

How to fight it: Practice good tribe etiquette! Ask about your teammate’s weekend, promptly respond to messages from people and update your team on your task list even if they don’t ask. Even better, you can share your calendar with your teammates using Lark. The best way to demonstrate what you need from others is to show it yourself.

#3

Distractions are not a new problem, but #WFH can present a different challenge resulting from information overload. This especially applies to people who are easily distracted (isn’t that all of us these days?). Lounging at home, it’s much easier to quickly check your social media, watch a YouTube clip, or go down a Wikipedia rabbit hole because you feel at ease — which means that you are more likely to take a slight detour and invite non-related work information into your brain.

These distractions will divert your attention in multiple directions, which causes you to waste extra energy when you are trying to refocus. This constant tug on your attention span can leave you feeling burned out, despite not having actually accomplished much.

How to fight it: Create a schedule — it doesn’t need to be a military regimen, instead we’d recommend a lighter schedule where you have some flexibility. If you need more privacy to focus, you can always try silent mode or turning on your “Do Not Disturb” sign in Lark!

#4

Complacency is much closer tied to comfort than most people think, and comfort is tied to…well, your couch — where you’re probably working from more often these days. At the office, there is a certain buzz from everyone striving to grow the business, launch products, and sign new clients. Humans are naturally competitive people — it’s virtually embedded in our evolutionary DNA. But when you’re sitting at home, away from the energy of other people getting things done, you might lose a bit of focus and slowly fall into complacency.

How to fight it: It’s easy to just do the bare minimum at home, but that’s a bad habit to build. We’d actually recommend you spend extra time helping out teammates with their tasks when working remotely. That way, you know the benchmarks they are setting and how they are delivering projects. It gives you reference points for what your work should be like, and keeps you engaged with the team.

So while working from home may seem like a new frontier full of beauty and bounty, it is important to keep an eye out on your mental health throughout this transition. Checking in with friends, and scheduling regular catchups with colleagues can improve your mental hygiene — but so can Lark’s virtual office. By moving your team around a digital water cooler filled with spontaneous conversations, you can mitigate the downsides of physical separation and maximize the upsides of working remotely!

Lark is your perfect work from home companion. Try Lark for free today by clicking here!