It seems that it has never been tougher to navigate a work-life than it currently is. The COVID-19 global pandemic has resulted in the extensive promotion of a so-called “stay at home” policy, which was bound to reduce the burden on national healthcare systems and the economy (Anderson, Heesterbeek, Klinkenberg, and Hollingsworth, 2020). According to Robinson (2021), most employees working from home say they experience negative mental health effects, including isolation, loneliness, and difficulty getting away from work at the end of the day. Taking effective burnout reduction measures on a personal as well as an organizational level improves remote workers’ well-being and, consequently, their productivity. One of the things that remote workers are recommended to pay attention to is ensuring a proper work-life balance. The pandemic has made it especially difficult, forcing employees to maintain work and family lives simultaneously. This is particularly demanding for working parents who also have to look after their kids staying at home with them. They must correlate their working hours and work responsibilities with the interests of their families and children. According to Okuyan and Begen (2021), a good solution might be to establish a sort of family schedule for parents to be able to have some uninterrupted working time over a day. Another idea is virtual caregivers – a concept unfamiliar to many but one that can be an important intermediary in increasing work-at-home efficiency.
Okuyan and Begen (2021) state that even though caregivers cannot replace parents for smaller kids, they can be of use for school-age children in terms of their education and occupation for some time. Therefore, parents themselves might attempt to implement several measures to make their work from home less stressful. However, some responsibility is to be placed on organizations – after all, it is in their best interest to ensure the well-being of their employers. Doniger (2021) states that it is time leaders take action: they need to create flexibility in their environments. That includes the establishment of safe spaces, the offer of psychological resources, and the overall prioritizing of workers’ mental health. Robinson (2021) suggests companies consider new online platforms that provide employees with mental health support. These are called digital therapeutics and they might be an extremely useful part of a person’s benefits package considering the current working conditions. These means will benefit business productivity – workers simply have to be permitted to take proper care of their mental health. There might be cases when people do not have access to any resources or assistance. Still, they have to try and do their best to allow themselves to relax and recharge as much as possible.
Howard (2021) recommends taking breaks and going out once one has such an opportunity due to the myriad of advantages it brings to mental health. For example, organic chemicals excreted by plants and trees, as well as exposure to various microorganisms in wildlife can contribute to cognitive activity and mental wellness. Getting outside for as little as twenty minutes might do wonders for the way one feels and, consequently, works. In conclusion, remote workers’ productivity directly depends on their mental state – and that is why this problem has to be addressed. Spending time outdoors and, preferably, close to foliage is the simplest way to relax and achieve clarity of mind. Moreover, routine at home to make sure one has at least some undisturbed working time is essential for remote workers – especially parents. Additionally, organizations are to take action and start prioritizing their employees’ mental health: resources and a safe environment are to be provided. The success of the business and, ultimately, all of the production depends on the labor force – and it is high time they started receiving proper treatment.
References
Anderson, R. M., Heesterbeek, H., Klinkenberg, D., & Hollingsworth, T. D. (2020). How will country-based mitigation measures influence the course of the COVID-19 epidemic? The Lancet, 395(10228), 931-934. Web.
Doniger, A. (2021). The future of work is here, employee burnout needs to go. CNBC. Web.
Howard, B. (2021). When work-from-home burnout doesn’t let up. AARP. Web.
Okuyan, C. B., & Begen, M. A. (2021). Working from home during the COVID‐19 pandemic, its effects on health, and recommendations: The pandemic and beyond. Perspectives in Psychiatric Care, 58, 173-179. Web.
Robinson, B. (2021). Remote workers report negative mental health impacts, a new study finds. Forbes. Web.