The psychology of working from home

i have listened to the Public Health Agency’s advice in corona times about social distancing and working from home, and I want to pull my weight. But now it’s starting to get boring. Unwanted thoughts of anxiety pop up. This made me curious about what the research really says about how our mental state is affected by a time in social isolation, and what I can do to feel better. I test the tips myself and share with them which ones work for me. In a series of four blog posts, you will learn:

  • The psychology of working from home – What does the research say about being isolated at home?
  • How can you work from home and feel good in the meantime?
  • How can relationships help us feel good when we work from home?
  • Work from home forever? – from emergency mode back to routines

CAN ONE’S MENTAL STATE BE AFFECTED BY WORKING FROM HOME AND KEEPING ONE’S DISTANCE FROM OTHERS? 

I work from home, do not go and train and all social gatherings are canceled. Some sneezing (corona, pollen, hypochondria?) And I have limited all physical contact for the last 5 days. How does this affect my mood? I notice that my normal mood is more often interrupted by feelings of depression, worries about how friends and family are feeling and how things are going for society, and restlessness about being so inactive. I found an interesting review article  on studies that examined the effect on one’s mental state of being in quarantine, which was published this March in the journal The Lancet. Even though my quarantine is self-chosen, I think many out there are in a similar situation to me.

WHAT HAPPENS TO ONE’S MENTAL STATE WHEN ONE IS ISOLATED?

The study showed that being quarantined has negative effects on one’s mental state. People in quarantine may feel depressed, stressed, irritated, have difficulty sleeping, angry, worried and anxious and emotionally exhausted. That may be understandable. After all, during these 5 days I have stopped doing lots of the things that fill with energy, positive emotions and meaning in my life. No endorphin kick from cycling to the office in the morning, no laughter at 10-coffee with colleagues, no group workshop where I get to help a team develop, no after-work with friends and no dinner with mom in town. I have also received a supplement on things that take energy from me, such as worries about whether I will have a job to go to when so many assignments are canceled and how it will go for my dad’s health who is in a risk group, more sad messages with activities I was looking forward to being canceled, and also deteriorating health.

The study also shows that the deteriorating moon can last for a longer period of time even after the quarantine period. And here it matters what you do when you are at home, even if the quarantine is more of a self-chosen work-from-home character.

WHAT AFFECTS YOUR MOOD WHEN YOU WORK FROM HOME?

In the article, the researchers have mapped factors that negatively affect the mental state during quarantine:

  • The longer you are in quarantine, the worse you risk feeling.
  • Fear of infection. Fear and anxiety about your and your family’s health can increase when you are in quarantine.

“That cough, is it corona? Or pollen allergy? ”. “What will happen to a father who is 70+ and is not so keen on social isolation?”

  • Lose everyday routines. Limited freedom and not being able to do as usual can lead to frustration and boredom.

“Is it even an idea to put on ordinary clothes in the morning?”, “I can not cook, I take film milk. Again. ”,“ Uh, I can not go to the gym and do the workout on my program, I might as well ignore even going out ”.

  • Reduced social and physical contact. Can create boredom and a feeling of being isolated from the world that is experienced as stressful.

“No weekend to Berlin with friends. Not even a dinner next weekend. What’s going on in their lives? ”

  • Unclear information. If there are different messages from different sources, you as an individual fear the worst. It is also stressful if it is not clear what is the best way for you to act.

“Is it dangerous to take ipren now?”, “Should I stock up on groceries or not? MSB says that households should manage for a few days, should I not buy a little extra anyway? ”

  • Anxiety about one’s finances and fear of reduced income.

“What happens if I lose my job because we have too few assignments, I just bought a condominium ?!”

  • Stigma . You may find that others begin to treat you differently. Others seem scared and suspicious, and you may hear some critical comments.

Some things you can influence yourself, other things are beyond your control. In the next blog post, you will get concrete advice on what you can do to reduce the negative effects on your mental state.

 

by Abdullah Sam
I’m a teacher, researcher and writer. I write about study subjects to improve the learning of college and university students. I write top Quality study notes Mostly, Tech, Games, Education, And Solutions/Tips and Tricks. I am a person who helps students to acquire knowledge, competence or virtue.

Leave a Comment