Yahoo Finance How to take care of your physical and mental health while working from home
New and unique problems posed by the coronavirus (COVID-19) are worth pondering. With this virus, we navigate uncharted seas, finding it necessary to discover different forms of functioning and communicating whilst taking care of our mental well-being and well-being as well.
Our everyday activities break emotionally, psychologically and financially, creating added discomfort, tension and pressure. It is perfectly normal for anxiety and depression to contribute to this disturbance and confusion.
We also need to take control of our emotional well-being and well-being today, more than ever. When we shield ourselves from future coronavirus exposure, bear in mind that social distance does not imply social isolation. This resource offers useful advice on taking care of our well-being and mental well-being.
Also read: Is work-from-home getting to you? Here are tips to make it easier
How can I preserve my fitness and health?
To function and study, set up a dedicated room for both you and each family member. Don't forget to include periodic breaks in someone's schedule to recharge. The program would be different for everyone, and here's a specimen:
7:30-9 a.m: Wake up early, stretch and then have a tech free breakfast with family.
9am - 11am: Work, but don’t forget to get up once in a while and look away from your screen.
11am - 11.30am: Quick snack break
11.30am - 1pm: Work, but don’t forget to get up once in a while and look away from your screen.
1pm - 2pm: Lunch break
2pm - 5pm: Work, but don’t forget to get up once in a while and look away from your screen.
5pm - 5.30pm: Quick snack break
5.30pm - 7pm: Finish up your work day
7pm - 8.30pm: Help cook dinner and eat that dinner with family, minus your devices.
8.30pm - 10pm: Spend some time with family, read, catch up on your shows, and stretch before bed.
10pm: Off to bed!
Keep yourself 'linked' - Using technology including FaceTime, Skype, Google Hangout with families, colleagues, and help networks. Chat with someone you know regarding your worries and concerns.
Healthy immune system - Cleansing your hands for 20 secs with soap, sleeping good, remaining hydrated and taking enough vitamins.
Prioritise on personal hygiene and restrict communication with others: To prevent transmitting the infection, this is crucial. Clean your hands properly for 20 secs with soap and water and frequently use sanitiser. Use a towel to mask your sneeze or cough. Disinfect frequently trafficked environments and items with anti-bacterial wipes.
Workout and remain active: Not only is this beneficial for your well-being, but overall emotional health is also good. Get up and drive about your house regularly. And whatever works best for you, cycling, relaxing, crunches or stretching exercises to reduce or relieve tension and raise neurotransmitters. Although specific favourite gyms and fitness centres all shut during the whole time, several provide participants and the general public complimentary live-cast or app-based exercises, so search online as to what's accessible.
Also read: 7 easy tips to manage working from home for moms
Get natural ventilation: Step outdoors for a quick stroll and good weather if temperatures warrant, but avoid traffic and aim to keep the minimum six-foot gap from everyone else.
Keep up to date: Awareness is strength, and keeping posted mostly on the progress made in the battle against the viral infection is healthy. Keep posted on the latest news via reputable outlets such as the Centres for Disease Control (CDC) and the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Control the use of information: Minimise constant exposure to television, social media that may cause fear, tension or panic or raise it. Keep updated, however, restrict the intake of the mainstream press by pursuing several trustworthy tools.
Predefined job time limits: Ensure that you work fair schedules while operating from home. And you have your job at home, it may be enticing to work hard, but it can also be stressful on your well-being and well-being, so keep to a routine of safe restrictions.
Distracting and redirecting: Participating in things that support your quality of life, giving you pleasure and distracting you from current problems. Meditation and mindfulness, sometimes given free online, could provide this. You may also love journaling, blogging, art projects, experimenting with different recipes, listening to relaxing podcasts or music, or breathing techniques.
Get innovative and keep connected: Exchange ideas about what goes best for you with co-workers and colleagues and inspire them to do the same. Seek one-minute planks, ten jumping jacks, or whatever you decide, just keep things easy. Come up with new concepts like organising a Google Hangout to work-out together. Share videos of animals loving the new schedule. Watch movies either chatting or on Skype concurrently. The sky's the limit of innovative forms of staying linked.
During this challenging time, how can I treat my mental health situation?
If you have a mental health disorder, the above advice extends to all. For those living with mental health problems, below are additional tips:
Continue prescription and treatment: It is essential to obey the recovery plan through adjustments in practice. If your conditions shift or through this stressful period you need reassurance, contact your care company's office and see if they give virtual visits. Telehealth visits are increasing and are an effective means of communicating with treatment.
Make sure the prescription refills are up to date. If you are worried about running short, insist that a 60-or -90-day supply of prescription be accepted by your prescribing health care professional.
If you are using over the counter drugs, check with your health care professional or pharmacist. Cold and flu medications can interfere with antidepressants and antipsychotics.
React to COVID-19 symptoms: If you have symptoms that could be consistent with the COVID-19 virus, first contact your primary care physician to determine the next steps of treatment. This infection threatens to overwhelm medical services, but instead of rushing to an emergency department, it's better to seek your primary care physician's directions on what to do.
Acknowledge warnings and causes: Continue to track your emotional condition or physical well-being and well-being for emerging or deteriorating symptoms. Do your best to keep your stress level low and participate in activities during this disruptive period, such as those mentioned above, that help you manage your stress levels.
Engage your support network: Keep linked with family and trustworthy friends and let them know if you need additional support through this challenging period, much as you would during any significant life shifts. This may involve daily phone calls, check-ins, and assistance linked to them. At this time, be specific on what you need.
Also read: How COVID-19 has helped us understand our kids better
What will personnel help administrators and HR practitioners do?
With several organisations needing workers to remain out of the workplace, supporting and promoting daily contact with staff is more critical than ever. Here are suggestions for administrators and human resource experts to help workers remain linked to each other and the workplace:
Display concern and be accessible: Recognise that workers are likely to be exhausted and nervous regarding virus-related circumstances. Make yourself open to your workers to chat about fears, address questions and inform them about jobs and other difficulties that can occur.
Keep linked with video connectivity and meeting tools: Utilising virtual video meetings enable teams to face-to-face to communicate with each other.
Recognise the influence of alienation and loneliness: Operating remotely will make people feel lonely, making it more necessary to check with your colleagues frequently, not just regarding their product at work, but also to see how they are doing. Depression and other concerns with mental well-being may arise from isolation. Be mindful of significant shifts you might see in your team member's attitude or job product, which may indicate that an individual is suffering.
Encourage online training: Now is a perfect time for online training to encourage staff to sharpen their ability. Focusing on studying rather than thinking about other things is often a pleasant diversion. Consider online courses to recommend to workers and new learning experiences.
Check-in with your EAP and Insurance Plan: To confirm their availability and arrange support for staff, check-in with your Employee Assistance Program (EAP). Remind workers that if they require help, the EAP is there and will, if appropriate, connect employees with mental health support. Often, communicate with the company's wellness plan(s) and understand what they are doing to help participants of the project and transfer that data to workers. In dealing with workers, make sure to provide any appropriate website connections and phone numbers for both the EAP and the health plan.
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