The Impact of Working from Home on Mental Health and Productivity: Effects and Solutions

2023-06-25 05:00:00

Enas Al-Banna Sunday, June 25, 2023 08:00 AM Working from home is not the same as working from an office. However, during a period epidemic Companies were forced to introduce the concept of ‘work from home’ for obvious reasons that have persisted until now.

According to the “webmd” website, although now, in the post-pandemic world, some companies have welcomed their employees back to their positions, there are many other companies that are still following the work-from-home or hybrid work model. Expenses for employees but also for the company.

Moreover, it comes with a lot of health benefits too such as less exposure to pollution and UV rays, less vehicles on the roads, which translates to less pollution, more time spent with family members and the ability to work under flexible procedures.

But let’s not forget that working full time from home can take a serious toll on mental health. Not everyone lives with their families, and for them, isolation can cause intense loneliness.

Moreover, many people suffer from uncomfortable living conditions and do not have a suitable work space. These people benefit more from the office environment and deprivation of it can affect their mental health and productivity. What are the other effects of working from home? Let’s find out.

How does working from home affect us?

Office workspace provides mental support to bosses, colleagues and friends. This is something we can’t find while working from home and it will make people feel lonely, unable and unwilling to communicate. A sudden lack of communication and support can make people feel like they have no one to turn to if they are in crisis.

Adjusting to a new environment takes time

It takes time to adjust to a work from home environment especially if the switch is sudden. Not everyone has a suitable workspace and enough privacy to ensure maximum productivity. Beds are good but they can also hinder mood and productivity.

Technology overuse

The only form of communication with the workers is through technology and this increases the amount of technology usage every day. In the normal work of an office day, this is something people try to limit. But working from home will not allow it, and excessive use of technology is not good for health. It can also lead to burnout.

It can lead to anxiety, stress and depression

Virtual connections and conversations are a great boon for keeping in touch with long distance families, relatives and friends. But, it cannot replace personal conversations and communication permanently. Studies show that isolation is associated with higher rates of depression, anxiety, and other physical symptoms.

When people work from home indefinitely, they basically don’t have a set routine. Many people are unable to finish their work within the prescribed 9 hours because there is no rush to leave the office.

Many people end up working all day and doing extra work too, there is no balance and the boundaries between work and home start to blur. Some people even multitask in their office and home work and because of that they also end up working all day long.

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