The world is changing rapidly and dizzyingly, with new forms of work and economy, companies have found ways to leverage remote human talent and for professionals in all fields, a whole new universe of possibilities has opened up, telecommuting.
However, not everything is an advantage since, like everything, it has its negative counterpart that must be evaluated and considered. In fact, a recent investigation yielded some very interesting results. The objective of the research focused on understanding what the impact of telecommuting has been on the health of the working population, and for this, data from a total of 15 countries was analyzed.
The ILO, that is, the International Labour Organization, which led the research; where among other results, it was discovered that workers were much more productive when performing their tasks outside of an office as the most important fact, but the researchers also found that there are certain risks for the worker.
In this regard, the study highlighted a completely interesting fact: employees who worked from home had much longer working hours, a significantly more intense workload, and also interrupted their work to carry out household tasks.
On the other hand, the research also distinguished between employees in three categories: the first for those employees who regularly worked from home, a second category for those who constantly moved to work in different locations; and a final category for those workers who divided their time between an office and another site.
The interesting thing about all this is that while telecommuting is a way of producing that also provides new options that transcend physical space, even to other countries through companies that require human talent without the need for physical presence, it will be important for workers to establish with some discipline the necessary routines to create a balance between work and the rest of the activities in a harmony that is entirely favorable for the well-being and health of the remote worker.
The Findings
As for concrete results, the most important critical factors showed that groups of people who regularly worked in the office reported much lower levels of stress and insomnia than remote or home-based workers. And to be even more precise, 42% of the latter had significantly higher levels of stress, compared to 29% of the study subjects who performed their tasks in an office.
According to the authors of the referenced study, these results clearly indicate that there is a significant need to be in contact with other coworkers, although a significant majority of the study population acknowledges that "there are times when physical isolation provides the best scenario to successfully complete a task," quoted verbatim from the study.
Rest Routine
It has been a fundamental element that this modality of telecommuting from home has severely affected daily routines, habits, and schedules for essential activities such as eating and rest. Therefore, in the face of this new reality, it will be essential to maintain order and effectively adhere to routines, which means that even from home, it is necessary to clearly establish the schedules for the workday.
So, with the goal of being able to live off this experience, it will be essential to outline a schedule plan that defines a time for each and every daily activity that is desired to be developed, including the time for telework and, of course, to respect it.
In the same way, allocate that specific area to develop remote work activities where everything necessary is available. In fact, many companies that operate under this modality require compliance with a certain number of hours with very precise internal controls; however, there will always be the need to complete a task outside of regular hours, which encroaches on spaces for other essential activities such as a good night's rest.
The fact of not having a well-established schedule, the same scenario for living and working, that is, in the same physical space, as well as the same alternatives for resting in the usual work from an office outside the home, are some of the factors that can disrupt the lives of workers according to the opinions of important experts in the field.
It is a fact that before the pandemic caused by the recent health emergency, telecommuting seemed to many companies like a kind of bonus that provided a certain quality of life for employees. Now it has become, for many workers, a whole experience that can be very difficult to manage.
Concluding then that many people are suffering from stress and anxiety, which includes a very good number of associated physical symptoms such as insomnia, loss of appetite, generalized stomach discomfort, irritability, as well as sudden mood swings.
Limits Between the Office and the Home
Statements from specialists such as psychiatrist Ana Millán explain that, since the start of telework, "the use of anxiolytics and hypnotics has skyrocketed, especially as a measure to be able to fall asleep."
This is explained by the simple fact that the living space was invaded for work. While it used to be cumbersome and counterproductive to bring work home, this is now a necessity that must be managed.
This is how it will be essential to separate work hours from personal life. The initial idea of creating a schedule and sticking to it comes back; on the other hand, a sedentary lifestyle also affects mental health, because workers do not receive the benefits of physical activity and exercise.
Respect the Hours Dedicated to Sleep
For a large majority of employees, some companies schedule meetings at noon, which severely affects family lunchtime. Others are also called to meetings at 8:00 or 9:00 at night because many leaders believe that, by having them available at home, they can work at any time of the day. Not having set times for eating, working, or sleeping generates fatigue and stress; it creates a complete picture of exhaustion due to the lack of boundaries between private life and work.
Therefore, disconnecting and putting on the pajamas will be the first step to internalize that it is time to rest. Hence, the use of a good pair of pajamas is part of that habit that helps regulate nightly rest and avoid health disorders associated with stress that can seriously affect physical and emotional well-being.
Exercise Routines
Most psychiatrists explain that a good way to apply certain palliative measures to the problems that telecommuting can bring is to start the day with a small exercise routine at home before beginning to work, changing clothes, and avoiding staying in comfortable clothing or working from bed, in addition to trying to maintain regular eating routines at their usual times to prevent losing the accustomed schedule for lunch and breakfast.
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