Supporting your Mental Health while Working from Home.

As most of us are now working from home and have been told to stay home to help control the spread of covid-19. We are all going to need ways to support our mental health, reduce the feelings of isolation, and still feel connected with colleagues while working remotely.

Waking Up

You may have the extra time in the mornings without the commute to work. It is best to aim to wake up around the same time every day like you would do if you had to do the commute. This will help stabilise your internal clock and improve your overall sleep. You will therefore feel less tired, more refreshed, and find it easier to concentrate throughout the day.

Keep to your usual morning routine if you can - get ready, washed and dressed as if you are going to the office, This will help you get into the mindset that you are at work.

Setting Up Your Workspace

Aim to set aside a work area separate from your sleeping area, this will help to prepare you for work mode and make it easier to switch off at the end of the day. There is no need to have a home office to do this - a small desk set up in a corner of your room, or a laptop at the end of the kitchen table can do the trick.

Keep Active/Moving

Try to include some movement into your work from routine will help maintain your physical and mental health. You will feel more awake and alert, and your concentration and sleep will improve.

If you are not self-isolating, you are able to leave the house for 1 form of exercise. Try going for a walk or a jog. It will help to break the day up.

If you are indoors, look online for an activity that suits you, such as home yoga or a fitness class. No matter what exercise you choose, try to take regular screen breaks and stretch throughout the day. Also aim to take a clearly defined lunch break and move away from your workspace.

Keep Connected

Keep your communication open with your team, as often and frequently as possible. Senior leaders should role model healthy working from home habits and behaviours. Some suggestions are:

  • Video calls instead of emailing.

  • Short check-in and check-out calls between managers and their teams, at the start and end of the workday.

  • Optional Q&A sessions for colleagues to dial in and chat through any concerns or queries they have about working from home.

Virtual Social Sessions

Continue to make time for social activities you usually do with your colleagues, some ideas that your team can do is:

  • Turning our morning or afternoon coffee break into a virtual coffee break.

  • Sharing photo updates of our lunchtime run.

  • Video calling for our afternoon craft session.

  • Daily online quiz session.

Get Support

During these tough times of stress and uncertainty, it helps us to stay connected with friends and family where you can. We all will need the extra support to get each other through this. Keeping in connect with our older relatives as they will find this time really lonely especially if they are alone.

STAY SAVE AND SUPPORT EACH OTHER!! WE CAN GET THROUGH THIS TOGETHER.

With love

Rachel xx

Jessica Robson