Work from home stress piling up? Psychologist shares 6 tips to feel better

From getting ready for work mentally to addressing the loneliness, here are a few hacks to manage stress while working from home.

While work from home comes with its own set of conveniences, being stagnant inside the room without much social interactions can be very mentally draining. Teamed with a sedentary lifestyle, the absence of commuting to work, interacting with colleagues and feeling burnt out can have serious consequences on your mental health.

Continuous work from home can have serious consequences on your mental health.

In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Arouba Kabir, senior counseling psychologist and founder, Enso Wellness said, “When we work from home, it sounds like a dream, that we don't have to go out, we can have flexible hours, be in whatever we want to wear. But then, someone who has been doing it for a long time, they will tell you that it is quite exhausting.”

Why is work from home exhausting?

Arouba Kabir explained, “You don't have that boundary anymore. The emotional toll of that, which are blurred boundaries, and when you don't go to office, you don't meet people frequently or new people, and the non-digital stimulation, that can definitely sneak up on even the most self-aware people.”

Here are a few tips to deal with work from home stress:

1. Building boundaries:

Not only just physical ones but even creating emotional boundaries. In one corner of the house, which is well-lit, have a plant on it, keep it neat and clean, make it look decluttered.

2. Mental transitioning into work mode:

Have a small ritual like getting ready for work, wearing the clothes, taking few deep breaths, making your to-do list on the table.

Work from home can feel exhausting. (Shutterstock)

3. Name the loneliness before it turns into doom scrolling:

You might feel lonely, even if your family is around, even if people are around. So many people confuse tired or unmotivated with what is actually loneliness or disconnection, because you're not going out, you're not meeting people in person, you're not seeing their body language, expression, gestures. So even if you are having virtual calls, it doesn't work.

4. Reach out to friends:

Reach out to a friend, go out, sit in a coffee shop maybe, have a coffee and work from there. Speak out loud that and share your thoughts. It will help in addressing them.

5. Stop eating around your work desk:

It is not a good habit. Your body definitely deserves a break, and your mind deserves a pause. While working, when you are eating, it is not helping you. Eat your lunch on the dining table or by the window or somewhere else. Give your eyes and brain some rest from the digital devices.

6. Come back to your body every now and then:

Take a few deep breaths, stretch yourself, take a short walk, drop your shoulders, touch something warm. It's so important to come back to the body. Otherwise, long screen hours can numb your awareness.

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.