Keeping your mental health in check (while working from home)
by Robert Yang | May 27, 2020
May is nationally recognized as Mental Health Awareness Month. As of late March, many of Hawaii’s workforce have moved their offices into their homes, including myself. At first, I didn’t expect the transition to be too difficult because as long as I have my laptop, I figured I could easily perform the same functions at home. After two months, I have experienced challenges that I had not anticipated.
Working an 8-hour day at home is fine. After a while, the days can start to drag because you no longer have social interaction with other people. Even though I’m emailing and sending Skype messages to my coworkers, it’s not the same as popping my head into a cubicle or office to have an actual face-to-face conversation about a project or an issue. It starts to get lonely and, at times, downright miserable. Sometimes I’m just looking at screens all day without even saying a single word until lunchtime. Thankfully, many companies are embracing the work-from-home culture and leveraging video-conferencing tools. At Hawaiian Electric, we utilize WebEx when we conduct meetings or collaborate on projects. It’s great to see faces when speaking to my colleagues.
Another challenge involves setting boundaries at home. When the home becomes the office, it’s easy for the lines between work and home life to become blurred. It’s always tempting to do more work because you’re at the “office” 24/7. I often catch myself working past 5 p.m. during the work week. Keep in mind that overworking can tax your body and mind.
When the workday is done, try to jump straight into a favorite activity to destress and recharge for the next day. Since I no longer commute home, I can go jogging or do indoor exercises earlier than before. It helps clear my mind when I’m able get a few minutes outside. I also unwind by playing games like League of Legends with my friends or I build my dream island on Animal Crossing: New Horizons. It’s good to step away from the laptop so that you don’t burn out before the week ends. It won’t do your team any good if you’re stressed out!
The workplace is designed to eliminate distractions; the home, not so much. In bringing your office home, you should maintain the good practices you’ve developed at work. For me, it’s all about being clean, organized and focused. I made sure my desk area at home accommodates my laptop. My games and television remain off until work is done. I close the windows if it gets too noisy outside. If you’re living with family or roommates, make sure to set guidelines that allow you to work in privacy. Also, I pre-plan my week using a planner and give myself reasonable time limits on each task. And, I slot in breaks to allow myself to briefly recharge so I can finish the day strong.
Take steps to ensure working or learning from home doesn’t take a toll on your mental health. If you’re struggling or are feeling overwhelmed, please reach out to someone. This applies to everyone — young and old. Make sure you get the proper amount of rest and clear your mind before you tackle each day. And when things start to get difficult, remember that we’re all in this together!
Robert Yang is a digital communications and social media specialist at Hawaiian Electric Company.
