by Nigel Hilton
If you are struggling to cope during the Covid-19 crisis, the chances are that your anxieties are beginning to manifest themselves within your working life. Couple with this, the economic uncertainty and increasing unemployment, and you may find yourself under a lot of pressure at work. Even if you are working from home at the moment, you may be worried about your position. Redundancy can strike at any time, especially if you work in an industry that has been impacted by coronavirus. If you are struggling with stress, check out this guide to help protect your mental health.
Take A Break
Just because the threat of redundancy may be ever-present, you shouldn’t be working yourself into the ground. It’s crucial that you are able to take breaks regularly throughout the day. Taking ten minutes every few hours to take a stroll to the park or just to spend some time in your back garden will allow you to recharge your batteries. Being stuck at your laptop for eight hours a day will cause headaches and isolation. Getting back to nature will allow you to soak up some much-needed Vitamin D and enhance your circadian rhythm. Getting your body clock back in sync will allow you to sleep better and you will see your blood pressure fall back into a normal range. Greenery, flora, and foliage help your stress levels to fall and give you a more positive and less anxiety-filled outlook on life.
Routine
The sudden shift of working from home has been difficult to manage for many individuals. All of a sudden, people are having to work remotely without the office camaraderie and banter of their colleagues. This can be isolating and cause limitless stress. To combat this, you need to keep the same routine as you would have if you were heading into the office. If you are used to engineering work and venturing to different sites every week, working from home can be a shock. If you are used to working at the business headquarters of a conglomerate and flying across the world to meet global clients only to find yourself stuck in your study, you can quickly feel alone and unsure of your position.
Ensure that you keep in touch with your colleagues and use the virtual world to communicate. Zoom, Teams, and Skype have become the go-to meeting places for office workers. You can even utilize these platforms for social gatherings as well as more formal meetings to help ease your stress.
Pajama Days
Everyone jokes about working from home in pajamas and sitting in front of the TV on the sofa with a laptop on your knees. Sleeping in and cooking elaborate lunches does nothing but spark procrastination tendencies. To combat this, set your alarm at the same time as you normally would. Have the usual packed lunch, have a lunch hour, set up a home office away from distractions, and stick to your nine to five routine.
Heading into this coronavirus crisis has been a shock for many. Ease your Covid-19 stress by following this guide.