Not only has a pandemic turned our world upside down, those who are still working now face extra pressures.
Will I keep my job? Will they be focusing on my performance? I need to work longer and harder!
These are all common thoughts in this current climate, we all face them!
We also now have to deal with working from home, coping with home schooling the kids and also missing out on the social interactions that keep us sane.
How we cope and react with this new set of stresses can set the path for our own mental health.
What are the signs I should be aware of?
Stress can manifest in so many areas of your life. Your body can sometimes be the first warning beacon. Some of the key symptoms can include changes in your:
- Body — do you feel any changes in your body? Rapidly gaining weight, headaches, increased sweating, racing heart. All can be physical symptoms of your stress.
- Behaviour — have you start to eat or drink too much, are you struggling to sleep, do you find yourself being cranky and irritable?
- Emotions — are you having heightened emotions (anger, sadness, fear), or numbed and feeling nothing at all?
- Mind — are you confused, indecisive, or having trouble remembering things and struggling to concentrate?
What can you do to manage your workplace stress at home?
Look after your body
The don’t say your ‘body is a temple’ for nothing! Giving yourself a solid physical foundation will do wonders in maintaining your mental health. Make sure you:
- Get enough rest and sleep.
- Exercise each and every day, even if this means just a 30-minute walk.
- Drink plenty of water and avoid going overboard on alcohol.
- Keep a close eye on your diet and try and avoid all the sugary, fatty snacks.
Take a break from communication
We are currently completely bombarded with news and updates about the pandemic, make sure you schedule in some time to switch off completely from the news!
Also, as we are all now working from home, we have lost the physical separation of home from work and we can be guilty of checking emails throughout the day and night. Make sure you switch off the phone and close the laptop to give yourself an actually break from the constant demands.
Schedule in social interaction
When we are at home, we miss out on those social interactions which make up a vital part of our working day. No more coffee breaks? No more visiting each other’s desks for news updates? Sitting at home for hours on end with no human contact can play a key role on our happiness levels.
Thankfully the wonders of technology can help! Book in Zoom and Skype meetings with colleagues even if it is for a chat. Why not kill two birds with one stone – work updates and social chats!
Seek help when you need it
There will be times when you find yourself struggling to cope with all these changes forced upon us, and all the new stresses may be affecting you more than you can manage.
It’s at this point you need to recognise that professional help might help you develop strategies to manage this new norm. Psychological therapy involves understanding your thoughts and developing practical strategies to help improving your mental health.
How can we support you?
We understand that life has now developed a huge number of additional stresses we never thought would develop. COVID-19 has affected each and every one of us.
At The Crawley Clinic we offer high quality evidence-based psychological services to Tasmanians of all ages in Hobart, Launceston, East Coast Tasmania, Scottsdale and George Town.
We understand that with the new lockdowns, you may not always be able to attend an appointment face-to-face so we utilise modern technology to make our services available when you need us. As long as you have a reliable internet connection, we can make it work remotely through the use of either your computer or mobile device.