WITH the enhanced community quarantine, people are starting to get cabin fever and they are slowly discovering that working from home is not what they imagined it to be. People are becoming creative on ways to finish their workload and, at the same time, keep an eye on what is happening in the outside world. And with all the uncertainties and precautionary measures, people are becoming anxious not only of what to expect when they go back to work, but the entire state of the country.
While it is important to take care of our physical well-being, we should not forget to also take care of our minds. With all the equivocal news, belligerent politicians, and social tensions we see on television, it becomes painfully easy to capitulate to mental wanderings. We take care of our bodies by eating well and exercising regularly, but we often overlook what we can do for the mind simply because we do not know how to go about taking care of it. To safeguard your mental health and protect yourself from unnecessary worrying and doubts, here are some things you can do to take care of your mental health.
Physical activity has been known to increase the level of endorphin and dopamine in your body. These are the hormones responsible for boosting your mood and producing feelings of pleasure. You do not actually have to go to the gym to do any physical activity, as there are numerous home workouts you can do with just a bench or a mat. If you do not want to do home workouts, you can do housework and declutter by focusing on one area of your house at a time. I did that with my cabinet, and I was able to organize my clothes better and make it easier for me to look for the things I need.
And while you are decluttering your house, you might also want to look for a spot you can call your own. Choose an area where it is quiet and where you can stay undisturbed and uninterrupted. This can be your personal private space. When you get really anxious, confused, or angry, you can go to this spot and just sort out what you are feeling. It is very important for you to sort out what you are feeling by acknowledging them and, if you can, writing them down. And when you do, you have to be very honest with yourself.
Take the time to identify what you are feeling and list down what triggered you to feel that way and what you could have done differently. This can help you from reacting negatively the next time, or to totally avoid circumstances where you will just be despondent. If you worry too much, write it down and then review what you can and cannot do, so you can focus on what you can do. Put more attention on the things you can control and your sphere of influence because they are more important. There is no use in worrying about things you cannot change, but you can gain control of your own emotions and mental health by focusing on what you can do so you can avoid feelings of frustrations and disappointment.
Some companies have resorted to asking for workload deliverables and asking for productivity measures with the current work-from-home setup. Sometimes, it becomes frustratingly tiring especially if you are asked more than what is required under the circumstances. You can negotiate with your managers on the scope of work and deliverables, and be realistic about your circumstances. Now is not the time to be granular about productivity considering that not everyone is properly equipped to work from home or have optimal environmental conditions to fulfill work requests. Be honest with your manager and list down what you can and cannot do so you can negotiate what is beneficial for the company and to you.
Write down your personal and career goals so when the going gets tough, look at it to remind yourself what you are aiming for. Sometimes, the work required from you is something you need to do to further your professional development, and your manager will assign projects which might seem out of scope or more than what you are capable of doing. Ask your manager if the extra work required will give you a better chance of being promoted. This will help your manager get an idea of your professional aspirations and if they are intent on helping you develop professionally, they will have that discussion with you. Whatever the case, note your accomplishments so when that annual evaluation comes, you have a list of all these.
One of the most important things you can do is to take a break from technology. Social media is replete with fake news and Internet trolls who do nothing but mess up your mental health. Do not hesitate to unfollow people who are negative, or if you don’t want to do that, mute them. Your peace of mind is not worth the emotional investment you put into reading trash. One of the reasons I have been on social media fast for about 16 months now is that I found myself engaged in a discussion with someone that quickly escalated into a heated argument. I realized it was not worth the effort nor the friendship.
Take the technology break a step further by not using your phone, tablet or laptop for a few hours or, if you feel brave enough, for a day. This will help you get over FOMO (fear of missing out). For news, schedule a time in the day to update yourself from a credible source so you do not get bogged down with unnecessary details or sensationalized reporting. Validate facts and protect yourself from unwittingly spreading fake news by thinking before you click.
Life as we know it will never be the same after this global pandemic. But you have the time and the capacity to prepare yourself for the changes which are coming. Safeguarding your mental health will help you become resilient and adapt quickly to those changes. And while everything is still up in the air, we can remain grounded with ourselves by taking care not just of our bodies but our minds as well.