Tips to Overcome Work from Home Anxiety

The pandemic changed the whole scenario of things worldwide, and the working schedule is also one of the majorly affected things. Work from home became the new normal, and people started to set up their home offices. Although some people love the idea of saving commute charges and staying in their Pj to work rather than dressing up to go to the office, there is also a sudden rise seen in anxiety work from home, resulting due to this change. 

To give useful work from home anxiety tips and many ways to make this transition smoother, there have been various attempts by employers and organizations to make employees settle in the work-from-home schedule. If you are one of those people who aren't able to understand the hybrid workforce model yet or are trying to settle to the hybrid work schedule, then keep reading because we have some serious tips to combat your social anxiety at work from home.

Can Working From Home Cause Anxiety?

A human body is like a machine that grows into a particular routine and does not like much change. Many successful people have strict schedules that they adhere to, especially fixed work schedules that are considered the key to their success.

As working from home became new normal, not only were many people disturbed because of the disruption of their routine but also being socially separated from their colleagues and co-workers is hard. After all, there are certain virtues of teamwork, and employees who have been working in teams to deal with challenges at work can feel a rise in anxiety work from home.

And this sudden shift in the normal work routine is why many employees and even employers feel stressed out and have developed anxiety. Our body has a natural response to change in routines in the form of acting stressed, and if you have been feeling anxious ever since the work from home routine started, then chances are you could be disturbed because of the change in routine.

How Work From Home Causes Anxiety?

There is not a single way in which the transition to working from home has brought up many challenges for people. Although many people prefer hybrid working, it is also important to find relevant ways to de-stress at your workplace to have maximum efficiency and great productivity.

For many people, chatting with colleagues or meeting their work friends daily has been a sort of therapy, but sadly that is not as easy as before. The inability to socialize is not the only challenge experienced by people in the workplace, but the list is much longer.

One of the major challenges for people is completely relying upon and adapting to technology amidst the work from home routine. Learning to use new technological tools and adapting to new ways of meeting and discussing things with colleagues has made most employees restless. Not to mention the sudden transition to this routine and not enough time to familiarize themselves with technologically advanced systems.

Not everyone has had enough knowledge to manage tech gadgets, such as professors who have been habitual of teaching manually and some students who don't have access to fast speed internets and smart office devices.

Moreover, work and home are two entirely different things, which has hit many people in the past year. Having constant disturbances from your family members and being confined in a home with your children takes your mind off the working routine, especially for people who have tiny homes and cannot get a separate corner to make a call to their bosses or clients.

Another research states that work from home has made employees spend more time behind their screens than traditional work from the office routine. Homeworkers are putting in more hours since the start of work from home routine. The constant connectivity has put many employees under stress as they don't find an end to the working hours and spend the whole day taking calls and attending meetings online.

How to Overcome Work from Home Anxiety?

Lockdown has not only affected the work-related routine, but it also has major impacts on other parts of lives. People who suffer from depression and anxiety have been the worst victim of lockdown-induced stress. If you find yourself troubled due to this transition in routine, then don't worry, as there are many ways to help yourself out of this phase of anxiety.

Make a Routine

Just because your old routine was compromised doesn’t mean you cannot make a new one. Routines are the most effective way of training our brains to be most productive. Making a routine in this lockdown will only help you get better and feel a little in control. Especially when there is so much uncertainty, having a routine will only make you feel at ease.

Exercise

Exercise is a great way to keep your mind sane and your body fresh and keep you away from anxiety work from home. No matter how tough your routine gets, exercising makes you active and releases happy hormones. If you are blessed enough to have an outdoor place where you can exercise, this is the best option. There is a strong link between stress and exercise. Therefore, doing exercise helps to reduce stress at work. Otherwise, you could also exercise indoors and have some 'me time.'

Don't Let the Distance Grow You Apart

A common reason for depression and anxiety work from home during this pandemic is when people couldn’t meet their loved ones. Don’t let this physical distance grow you apart. Rather stay connected through virtual ways. It’s good to call your friends and family once in a while and catch up with them. Chatting over video calls is a great idea if you want to sense closeness too.

Don’t Get Stressed

It is hard to say and even harder to act upon but take away all the stressors from you. It is wise to stay updated about the surroundings but dwelling too much on the news will only cause your brain to imagine the worst-case scenarios. Don't watch too much news if that's what makes you stressed.

Work-Life Balance

Just because you are sending emails sitting in your bed does not mean you are chilling and not working. Having a work-life balance to manage anxiety work from home and not allowing depression to take over is very important. Try to keep a certain limit on working hours and after that take a break from your gadgets and technology devices.