DEALING WITH STRESS FROM HOME

In good ways and bad ways our work life overlaps with our home life. If we are not diligent, our work can be affected when stressors at home start to mount up. While stress that workers re-experiencing is so impactful, most stress can be dealt with in a manner that it does not cause a perilous situation.

WHAT ARE THOSE COMMON STRESSORS OF WORK FROM HOME

At any given time, there are a number of stressors in our lives at any given moment. We must recognize the common stressors and how they may be impacting our work.

Examples

Relationships: Arguing, fighting constant bickering creates an atmosphere that leads to stress.

Finance: Bills, lack of cash, is always in the back of one’s mind.

Job Insecurity: We are also fearful that through no fault of our own, our jobs can be terminated in these uncertain and stressful times.

Health: Serious health situations can be the most challenging situations we have to deal with in life. Dealing with these issues extends to loved ones as well.

STRESS AFFECTS WORK

There are negative effects when stress is carried from work at home.

Lack of Structure

Feeling a lack of boundaries on when you need to start working (and stop!), when you need to get up and go to sleep, when to log off of social media, and more can feel like true liberation.

But this can morph into a feeling of being out of control.

Too Many Distractions

Many people forget that those who work at home still need to work. People can call at all hours of the day and may not understand that. “I’m sorry, I need to work right now,” is as valid as, “Sorry, I’ll call you when I’m off work.

The problem is that there can be interruptions all day, and work hours need to be hours and not a succession of interrupted clusters of a few minutes at a time

TIPS TO DEAL WITH STRESS

Slim down your schedule – Having an overflowing home to-do list almost invariably leads to stress. Don’t take on too many projects or commitments at once. Learn to prioritize and say “no;”

Select a stress-management activity – Find a relaxation-inducing activity and weave it into your daily routine. Examples include meditating, doing yoga, knitting, listening to music or gardening;

Accept what you can’t control – By learning to distinguish between those instances in which you can have an impact and those in which you cannot, you may feel both more productive and less overwhelmed;

Surround yourself with supportive people – The people you consider to be your “inner circle” should be sources of solace, not stress.

Make time for fun – Consider these simple but fun pastimes – reading to your child, playing with a pet, making a meal with family or friends;

FINAL WORD

Dealing the stressors while working from home is not an easy task; But manageable. First step is recognition and how you are being affected by the Stressors.