6 ways to boost mental well-being while working from home

Sometimes, when you work from home, it can be difficult to maintain boundaries and protect your mental well-being. Fortunately, some aspects of the experience are under our control. Being proactive about reducing work-related distress may help improve your mood, outlook, and focus.

Everyone’s situation is different. Between job and money uncertainty, plans made today may change tomorrow. But taking the following steps may help you strike the right balance—and preserve your mental health.

Set clear boundaries

When work takes place where you live, creating boundaries for your time, space, and social interaction is key to keeping your stress levels in check. It’s all too easy to let work colonize hours you could have been devoting to home, family, or other pursuits, or to let piles of work-related papers build up on the dining-room table. Add kids or a partner who assume your attention is always available, and boundaries become vital to just getting through the afternoon. Try these strategies.

Follow a routine

Start by making up a daily schedule—one that includes time allotted for your morning routine, a clear beginning and end to each workday, and breaks for meals, exercise, and more. If you live with others, let them know when you’ll be working and when your work hours end. Close doors when you absolutely can’t be disturbed, if possible. This can help you maintain work-life balance.

Step away from the screen

Remember that it’s important to take breaks from your computer. Don’t be afraid to let your coworkers’ bids for your attention go temporarily unanswered. Replying to volumes of emails after work hours may demonstrate dedication, but can also lead to burnout.

Establish a workspace

Your physical space could benefit from boundaries, as well. While it’s tempting to conduct video calls from anywhere that’s convenient, establishing an area dedicated to work can help you mentally separate your job from your home life. You’ll also be able to keep needed supplies close at hand, eliminating frenzied searches for headphones, documents, and chargers.

Define kids’ boundaries, too

What if your children are home? First, let your colleagues know if they don’t already; odds are they’re in a similar situation. Then, try to provide kids with a daily structure including start times, end times, and scheduled breaks. This can help them understand your expectations and reduce distractions overall. Interruptions will happen, of course, but boundaries may lessen the volume.

Stay in touch

Working from home presents challenges to mental health beyond blurred boundaries. A prime example: loneliness. Indeed, the need to cultivate relationships with colleagues can be a hard one to fulfill with a couch-and-laptop-in-pajamas setup. And depending on your situation, it may not be an option to pop over to the local cafe for a change of scenery and a friendly word with the barista.

To help you stay in touch with other people and keep from feeling isolated, make liberal use of video calls and social media designed for the workplace, such as Slack or Microsoft Teams. Try having a morning meeting with colleagues each day or setting up regular conversations with coworkers. Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it, either; many of your colleagues may be in the same situation.

Optimize your work time

Between constant distractions and a steep learning curve, working from home can make you feel frustrated, unproductive, and incompetent—like you’re not getting your job done. You can help ease these emotions by employing a few key practices:

Set goals for each day

Whether it’s working a set number of hours or completing a certain project, hitting a goal can foster feelings of worth and achievement.

Tackle tough stuff when you’re fresh

Schedule trickier tasks at a time of day when you have a full head of steam, or when distractions are minimal. If you have a baby or preschooler, for example, you may want to complete an item that requires a lot of concentration during naptime.

Play to your strengths

Try getting more done on days when you’re in the zone. Attack extra tasks if you’re on a roll or your distractions are fairly minimal, so you can ease up on harder days when things feel overwhelming.

Plug in strategically

Do you feel left out of the loop? Make sure you’re included on meetings relevant to your responsibilities. Or, if you have time, ask to pick up additional projects.

Limiting your news intake can boost your productivity and improve your state of mind, as well. Instead of constantly scrolling through social media feeds filled with worrisome stories, try tuning into news just one or twice daily, for a few minutes each time.

Don’t skip breaks

When you’re focused on work, it’s all too tempting to ignore scheduled downtime and keep plugging away. In short, don’t do that. Taking breaks allows you to decompress and recharge, even if it’s just throwing in a load of laundry.

If possible, try to get some exercise during your break. Physical activity is well known to stimulate endorphins and relieve stress. You can walk around your block, do a quick video workout, or just stretch for a while.

If you have a mental illness

People who have been diagnosed with a mental health condition like anxiety or depression may face additional challenges when working from home. Isolation and loneliness can worsen psychological disorders.

To cope with isolation, it’s especially important for people with mental health conditions to maintain their daily routine, such as keeping regular hours and getting dressed in the morning. Face-to-face time with others is also important, so opt for video conversations over phone calls when you can.

People with mental health conditions should also stick to their treatment plans as closely as possible. If you notice your symptoms changing or if you need support, schedule appointments with your therapist.

If you’re experiencing a mental health crisis, as soon as possible, get in touch with your healthcare provider, text HOME to 741741, or call, text, or chat 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

Go easy on yourself

Cut yourself and your colleagues some slack when you’re working from home. Maintain realistic expectations. It’s hard to work and supervise your kids full-time, for example, and managers may need to make allowances. Expect interruptions, roll with them, and do what you can to minimize them in the future. With some intentionality, you can reduce work-from-home stress and focus on the things that matter most.