For a lot of people, working from the office can be tiring and exhausting - especially for those suffering from mental health issues. And as a result - working from home and having flexible work hours can have a positive impact on your mental.
Though working from home can be relaxing and effective, it can also be quite a distracting and unproductive experience - it just depends on who you ask. When talking about the vast majority of people, working from home can be a useful way to improve both your mental health and overall work-life balance.
Below, you can find five mental health benefits of working from the comfort of your own home.
1) Reduced Stress Levels
Having control over our work environment and the way we choose to get our work done has a huge impact on our mental wellbeing.
Working from home allows us to slow down the burnout and spend more time with our family and pets, which allows us to face deadlines head-on with more motivation and energy.
Additionally, working from home means there is no need to wake up earlier to make sure you catch the train or bus on time. Having no daily commute gives one time to sleep in, make time for a quick exercise or a healthy breakfast.
While it is not possible to avoid all the different factors that have contributed to increasing your stress at work, it is possible to avoid situations and environments that may trigger higher levels of stress. Having to go through the commute process to get to work every day can often be overwhelming and frustrating, especially for those with anxiety.
Thankfully, working from home can relieve some of this pressure. Not only can you work according to your schedule, but you can also take breaks when needed, work in a peaceful environment that optimizes your productivity and it gives you more time to spend with family.
2) Better Time Management
The time you will save from not having to commute gives you the chance to use your time more wisely.
Not only does it allow you to get more sleep but it means;
- Extra time with your family
- More time throughout the day to exercise
- Working according to your schedule
- Preparing healthy meals and not spending money on the vending machine at the office
Having the opportunity to work at your own pace is more appealing than fighting through rush hour twice a day. Spending more time doing the things you want to do and being able to slow down when necessary will help you feel more calm and relaxed, which will, in turn, improve your mental health.
3) Improved Physical Health
The time you would usually take to commute to work could be used more wisely, such as working on your physical health. Working from home gives you more time to schedule bike rides or go for a walk in the park.
It also gives you the chance to try out that specific exercise you’ve been wanting to try out for a while. By including exercise in your morning routine, you’ll have more energy for the tasks ahead and will improve your overall state of mind.
There are numerous benefits to exercise but one of the main advantages is that it is an effective method for improving mental health challenges, such as stress, anxiety, and depression. It doesn't have to be a big, high-intensity workout for it to be effective either.
The smallest and simplest exercise can someones have the largest impact on your mental health as they will release the necessary endorphins to aid in improving your wellness. Additionally, exercise also improves concentration and memory, helps you sleep better, and distracts you from negative thought patterns.
4) Healthier Routine
Working from home means that we can focus our energy and time on improving our wellbeing and our routine. It gives us the chance to eat healthier by making homemade meals and making time for exercise, as discussed above.
Working from home also allows us to improve our sleep schedule by making sure we are getting our necessary 7-8 hours of sleep which has a large impact on our mental health and our overall productivity for the workday to come.
5) Aids Financial Stress
Finally, working from home can aid financial stress immensely. By working remotely, you are using less gas and reducing your carbon footprint. Fuel, car maintenance, transportation, parking fees, eating out, and more can all be reduced or eliminated from your spending entirely.
Although it may not seem like much at first, these savings do add up and give you more chances to put money into your savings account or use the money on that family getaway you've been dying to go on - which again - can help your mental health immensely.
Conclusion
Working from home can alleviate a huge level of stress, anxiety, and depression in workers who are typically asked to go to the office. This is because they can do their job around their mental health issues and deal with them accordingly rather than trying to suppress or ignore them while in the office.
Generally speaking, every person is different and so while for some employees working from home might be better for their mental health - others might suffer even more from having so much flexibility.
