The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly limited the interaction among people. It even forced various companies to let their employees work remotely, minimizing the risk of contracting and spreading the virus inside the enclosed office spaces. Work from home (WFH) may be brand new to a lot of people in the workforce, but this specific arrangement has initially brought tons of benefits to them. It allowed them to work comfortably as they get to wear their coziest clothes and eat whenever they want. The WFH arrangement has also granted them significant savings in terms of transportation and food expenses.
A Drawback of WFH Arrangement
Even though the WFH arrangement can bring significant improvements over people’s time and wealth management, it still has a drawback that can affect you and most of the workforce. As the pandemic continues, you may gradually feel isolated and lonely. And since your mental health is affected, your decisions and judgments over crucial things may be influenced as well.
Many recruitment firms in the Philippines believe that rest can be a good way of overcoming isolation. However, if the boundary between your home and office has merged into one space, then you cannot fully take a rest whenever needed. Some of you may even have to work for a longer time at home compared to the regular office hours, which can compromise both your physical and mental health.
Best Ways to Overcome Isolation
Whether you are an employee or employer, you can still somehow overcome isolation in small yet significant ways.
Integrate Self-Care Habits
For one, you can establish a daily work schedule that integrates self-care habits. These self-care habits may include sleeping, reading, catching up with friends virtually, working out, and so on. Doing this can help you break the monotony and divert your attention to things that can relax your body and mind.
Use Team Collaboration Tools
The isolation of WFH can also be minimized through arranging meetings with colleagues and customers. Tons of team collaboration tools are already available today. Maximizing them can help you achieve a sense of social interaction and presence, even if you are staying and working at home. Remember, however, that you can also use these tools to engage casually with your team members or have a conversation with your friends and loved ones.
Create a Boundary
Ultimately, you can deal with the isolation of WFH by creating a boundary between work and personal life. You do not have to work beyond your work schedule if you do not need to. You must also avoid checking your emails a few hours after your work have already ended.
Isolation of WFH arrangement is a serious mental health matter. Changing some of the things you used to do may help you overcome isolation and stay productive amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
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