5 Useful Tips to Overcome Anxiety While Working From Home

After a year of undergoing a new routine and lifestyle due to the pandemic, it’s okay that we’re not necessarily used to it. For some people, anxiety may not go away or even increase considerably due to this non favorable condition that may seem endless. It is very natural if you miss your life before COVID-19 more and more, such as traveling, gathering with friends, choosing the lunch menu together, or hanging out after work. To some extent, anxiety is understandable, but if it drags on, it can actually disrupt your daily life. Here are 5 effective ways to deal with anxiety when working from home or when you stay at home on weekends.

1. Discipline with Routines

What was your routine for working before the pandemic? Getting up and taking a shower in the morning, choosing clothes and makeup, drinking coffee, and starting work at 9 am?

Solution : If so, continue this routine even when you’re working from home. Discipline with routine will help train your brain to instill the awareness that even though some things are out of your control, there are certain aspects of your life that you can control—these thoughts will help you feel safer in the midst of unpleasant situations.

2. ’Limit' Your Working Hours

One of the most noticeable things about the working from home system is you loss the boundaries between working hours and personal time. Working from home giving you more relaxed job but on the contrary, the working hours can be longer and never ending. The feeling of having to always standby and active all the time can actually increase your level of anxiety. That is why you must strictly limit your working hours.

Solution : Say openly that you can’t meet or answer email meetings after certain hours (you can match office hours or create new limits for working time). The point is to set boundaries. These regular working hours will make you more focused on to-do-list office tasks or personal matters.

3. Find Alternative Non-Crowded Working Spaces

It’s advisable to minimize going out of the house, but we understand that burnout can lead to deadlocks. Therefore, there’s nothing wrong if you choose to work other than at home 1-2 times a week.

Solution : It doesn't have to be a far-away location, choose a location that isn’t crowded and has good ventilation, even better if it's outdoor. You can working half a day from a quiet park or a coffee shop outside of peak hours to keep yourself safe and healthy from crowd. This time can be your mood booster get through the day.

4. Keep ‘Moving’

Exercise can reduce anxiety and produce endorphines, which will make you calmer.

Solution : Keep 'moving' or getting regular exercise is recommended. If you feel bored with your usual exercise you did before the pandemic, try other types of exercise as a variation. Even just taking a walk in the park (don’t forget your medical mask) can help. Regular exercise can also help you focus more easily.

5. Limit Information

It is important to keep updated on the latest news and information. However, sometimes those information can trigger unnecessary worries and anxiety.

Solution : It's time for you to limit yourself from the excess flow of information. For example, if you read the news every morning and then feel restless and have trouble focusing afterward, try limiting yourself to five minutes of reading (you can set an alarm as a reminder). Or try changing the time you search for information, for example in the afternoon. The same is true for scrolling your social media.

In the end, it’s the most important thing to have a positive thought that this will all end. Rest assured that the current situation is temporary and we just have to accept and live with it. In addition to the 5 steps above, setting expectations, taking a break, and doing simple things that make you happy can be a great way to deal with anxiety when working from home. Remember, that you are the best cheerleader for yourself, so stay positive and have a nice day!