Is Remote Work Good for Our Mental Health?
I have to admit, working from home over the past year has been great in many ways: no commuting, easier to access the food I want, and more time at home. The last one, however, can be both a positive and negative depending on a number of factors. There is an abundance of information available on the pros and cons of working from home, along with potential ways to address those disadvantages. I am going to focus on three particular downsides that can result in mental health issues over the long-term: videoconferencing fatigue, household demands and social isolation.
BMC Public Health reviewed 23 papers on the topic of working at home. Ten health outcomes were reported: pain, self-reported health, safety, well-being, stress, depression, fatigue, quality of life, strain and happiness. Of these 10, well-being, stress, depression, and happiness are all contributors to our overall mental health.
Let’s explore how continuing to work at home might not be the long-term solution we might want.
1. Videoconferencing Fatigue
This is also sometimes referred to as Zoom fatigue which is the degree to which people feel exhausted or tired as a result of engaging in a videoconference. Currently, I spend anywhere from 4 hours to 6 hours in Zoom meetings per day and have noticed a change in my…
