In technology, we spend hours and hours sitting in front of a computer, and the exhaustion can go beyond the body, so if we don´t pay attention or listen to our necessities, we can burn out!
Working from home is the new normal for many. This new way of work brought numerous advantages, and we didn’t know we would appreciate it, we have become comfortable with it. Still, it also brought multiple new concerns and challenges that were not there before with all the benefits.
The importance of daily checking our mental health is one.
As 2020 became the official work-from-home start of this new era, some priorities in our company had to shift, and we had to keep a closer look on our people`s happiness.
Since the pandemic started, we have been trying for everyone in DNAMIC to stay safe, at home, take care of their health and their loved ones as much as possible. But one of the changes we’ve noticed is that specific difficulties on a mental health level have become more prominent than before.
At first, everything was wonderful, every team was thrilled to be home, saving the office ride, the expenses of moving, and time they could now use in something else. The freedom of being home comfortably was great the first months, and the excitement of a new routine was something that everyone was ready to explore.
But as time passed, the difficulty of adjustment to the process started to be more present, like finding the right spot to work and doing extra hours due to home chores or overall distractions. In no time, all evolved into frustration, exhaustion, and an overwhelming feeling of being cornered.
Wait! How are you feeling?
Given this alarming situation and looking for solutions, we asked them what we could do to help everything be more comfortable? The answers were in.
We sent chairs, desks, and equipment to start, given that the office wasn’t in use.
We also began to give extra care and attention to mental health and physical well-being, creating awareness of how vital caring for it is.
Amidst 2020 on track, we keep constant health check-ups. With our second check-in, we realized that new attitude challenges came to the surface, like loneliness and the lack of human interaction. At the office, we used to have human contact constantly but, now that we are at home, we realize what that meant for our daily consistency, how much we missed it, and how it used to have more weight in our lives than we noticed before.
Loneliness is one of the most notorious and present psychological symptoms today. It`s a feeling that has grown within the pandemic and with the working-from-home state. People have tried to push the community connection with excessive meetings and more internal chats. The sense of belonging while being apart from others can be challenging to keep. Nonetheless, it quickly became a high priority at DNAMIC.
When talking about mental health, we have to remember the importance of time. Taking our space for work and another for personal time is essential yet neglected by many. On the one-on-ones done internally, I received many comments like: “I had to move my desk out of my room because I no longer wanted to be there in my own time, ever.”
It is crucial to establish specific places for each thing in our routine. When we are sick, we spend so much time in bed that we rather sit on the couch once we are healthy. The same thing happens at work; if we don’t take care of our mental health in that space and creating a clear distance between job and personal life, both figuratively and physically, these negative effects will overflow our body and mind.
We don’t want work to feel like your whole life!
Anxiety is another newly typical red flag that doesn`t go unnoticed. Even when we try to rest, if we are close to our workspace, there’s implied anxiety growing, and the adverse effects will flourish with it. We cannot stretch it enough! It’s essential to look for a place of work that will be pleasant and in its own space. Sometimes can be tricky, but it´s worth the try.
Mental health is our engine. It needs to be in a good state for us to keep going. We are used to be too in our heads, doubting ourselves more now than ever. So when I had the chance to contact our DNAMIC community one-on-one, I tried my best to listen and bring visibility to every detail that could affect us so we together could create solutions.
There`s nothing wrong with talking about it out loud! It is normal to have all these feelings, and when we talk about them, about all that bothers us or could bother us in the future, we can find answers, not only for a present solution but also in the long run.
When I noticed these red flags, I prioritized creating a working culture and environment where our people feel safe, heard, and never just a number or position. At DNAMIC, every single one of the collaborators is the heart, powerhouse, and soul of this company and what makes our culture proudly what it is.
Repeat after me: I can do this!
Bringing support to mental health in work situations is essential, and understanding that caring for it should be on daily tasks can be a game-changer. Each of us needs to listen to our mind and body to perform as we want to or how we know we can.
In technology, we spend hours and hours sitting in front of a computer, and the exhaustion can go beyond the body, so be careful! If we don´t pay attention or listen to our necessities, as I mentioned, we will burn out.
Let’s make it better! Here are a few tips:
- Take time to do breathing exercises.
- Sit down before the day starts, or when it ends, and write your thoughts down.
- There is NO shame in asking for help. The input of a professional will always be primordial to keep a healthy mind and physical balance.
- Sweat it out! Exercise will always be beneficial to your body.
- Take care of what you eat, nurture your body, and stay hydrated.
- And last but not least, practice gratitude. Remember, it`s not where you are physically, but the mental state you keep while being there!
