Mental Health Tips While Working From Home

By: Natalie Richardson, Associate Consultant

I’m going to skip past the part where I talk about how hard this year has been. We all know that — it’s the everyday reality that most of us have lived with since March. There are commonalities that all of us have struggled with — the monotony of quarantining, worrying about the health of our friends and family, and the logistical issues of work, school, etc. in this changing world. However, each of our individual lives is nuanced. I’m writing this post with full acknowledgment that I have limited experience — I don’t have children to worry about, I currently live in a safe household, and I grew up with privilege. I don’t say that to dismiss my thoughts and opinions, but to explain that I am sharing what has helped me, and I hope you will find some value as well, regardless of how different we are.

I decided to write this post partially from a sense of obligation to myself, but more from a greater sense of obligation to my peers, including those who currently work for Veeva and those who don’t. So full disclosure, I’m going to get personal and vulnerable here. If you aren’t interested in that, that’s okay and you can skip this one. If you’re still here, I appreciate you.

One in four American adults suffers from a diagnosable mental illness each year. I’m going to assume that my current audience is a higher proportion than that, because a.) 2020 has been way too similar to the Dystopian YA Novels I consumed in middle school, b.) Many of the traditional “coping mechanisms” people have relied on in the past — like meeting with friends, going to the gym, planning a vacation, etc., have been impossible or inaccessible for many, and c.) You felt compelled to click on this blog post. Maybe you were pulled in by what I consider a mildly funny headline, but I’m not convinced. (I know it isn’t a knee-slapper, but maybe here and there I’ll get a “ha” that is somewhere between a laugh and an acknowledgment that I made a joke.)

Basically, what I’m saying is that if you have been struggling in a personal, emotional, and/or existential way, you are not alone. In September, I was diagnosed with PTSD, and I felt crippled by it. I had to take a month and a half of Medical Leave. From March to September, it progressively began to feel more and more like I was on a runaway train. I was throwing in the coal (my mental and emotional energy), propelling the train forward (trying to keep up with the responsibilities of my life) to keep moving closer to the destination, until it all fell apart. The issue was, I never put any thought into what the destination was, and what I was doing to myself to get there. Past Natalie thought the destination was a return to “normal life,” but I know now that was naïve. During my leave, with the guided assistance of my therapist, I had an epiphany — I wasn’t working with myself; I was often working against myself or neglecting myself completely. I decided to share these personal details not because this post is about me, but in case any of these feelings or thoughts resonate with you.

Since returning to work, my mind keeps returning to one of our company values: Employee Success. I know that my Veevan audience knows our values by heart, but I believe this one in particular demands revisiting. On day one at Veeva, my understanding of Employee Success was “Veeva cares about each employee individually.” That impression has certainly been upheld over the last year and a half, but it’s also grown. In my everyday interactions with my peers, my managers, and anyone who I’ve reached out to for help, I realized the people at Veeva care about each other, and value each other’s’ successes. However, I realized that these perceptions are limiting. Employee success is also a personal and professional obligation you have to yourself. I challenge you to sit with that idea. I know that the phrase “You are the captain of your own ship” is repeated frequently at Veeva, for good reason. But Employee Success goes beyond that. No one reading this post is leaving 2020 as the same person who entered it. The silver lining is, struggle often breeds growth. One of the reasons I struggled so deeply this year is because I tried to “power through” until all of “this” was over. I know I’m not the only person who’s had that mentality.

I have a few pieces of advice for anyone who is struggling:

1. Be honest with yourself. The next time you have a quiet moment to yourself, I challenge you to check-in with how you’re feeling. Do you feel overwhelmed? Depressed about the state of the world? Like you’ve been going through the motions just trying to keep up? Seriously and honestly think about these questions, and whatever other questions come up for you. After you answer these questions for yourself, think about how you operate in your daily life. Do your habits, thoughts, or actions help your situation and make you feel better? Or are you neglecting yourself in the face of all your other obligations? If you aren’t happy with your answers, that’s okay. Be kind to yourself. One thing I’ve tried that works for me is trying to rework my negative thoughts. A recurring anxiety I have is “You should have done more today.” When I notice myself fixating on that thought, I literally walk over to my bathroom mirror, look myself in the eye, and say something along the lines of “You think you should have done more today, but you actually did A, B, and C. You wanted to get to D, but that doesn’t need to be finished by tomorrow. You have time.” (You may be hesitant to take the advice of someone with a mental illness that talks to herself, but I promise people to do this. Look up “affirmations” if you have your doubts.)
2. Find outlets that work for you. Like I mentioned earlier, many outlets people had previously relied on may be unavailable now. So, use this as an excuse to try new outlets. This could be as simple as talking to a friend or coworker about what you’re experiencing. I also invite you to give therapy a chance if you’re open to it. But I would also push you to try and fail at new hobbies or activities. This year, I’ve tried baking, drawing, journaling, yoga, running, gardening, and winemaking. Many of those attempts ended in disaster, but at least after I tried, I was able to laugh at the outcome. You may find something that sticks. Now, I always keep my journal on my work desk. If I have a thought I want to get out of my head, I open the journal, write it down, and close the journal again. This has helped me acknowledge my personal thoughts throughout the day, without ruminating on them while I’m trying to work. In a similar vein, when I know I have a stressful day ahead, I wake up 15 minutes early to do one of my favorite yoga videos or listen to a meditation. If you feel overwhelmed by possibilities, I encourage you to visit hobby-based Reddit communities or Pinterest.
3. Listen to your body. No one reading this post is an Energizer Bunny. Your body holds negative emotions. If you get tension headaches, have back issues, or become nauseous when you’re stressed, these symptoms might be indicative of emotional issues you’ve been pushing to the side. I believe medication and therapy can be helpful and even necessary for many, including myself. But there is a mind-body connection. You have probably experienced this — the emotional high you get after cardio or the almost depressive state that takes over when you’re sick and feel horrible. These are surface-level examples though, and I encourage you to dig deeper. Consider yourself whole, instead of separating out the health of your body from the health of your mind.

In conclusion, it’s okay if you’re not okay. No one thing will “fix” you. My biggest takeaway from this year is that a lot of things help a little. So, find as many things that help as you can, and stick to them.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Veeva.