Many people and businesses today are still struggling with the changes to work and life that the COVID-19 pandemic has wrought. While there is hope for a return to normal life, it’s also clear that this is unlikely to happen in America and other parts of the world this year.
This has meant that everyone, even those of us here at Technalink, has had to stop and take stock of long-term adjustments for living and working. For those companies that have the option, implementing a work-from-home policy may continue to be the safest alternative. Still, those mid- to long-term adjustments bring some new challenges.
It Builds Up
One common misconception about stress is that it only kicks in when a specific issue arises. A sudden rush job with a tight deadline and an unexpected personnel crisis at an office, for example, are typically stressful situations.
But stress doesn’t have to be tied to a high stakes event. There are plenty of situations, such as the one many Americans are facing today, where the stressful elements aren’t significant but are low stakes circumstances that pervade for an extended period.
In those situations, it’s easier to ignore and thus fall prey to the stressors involved. Working remotely when you’re sharing a home with children and possibly another work-from-home partner isn’t a major crisis. However, over weeks and then months, all those little stressors add up, with no relief in sight.
Use Long-Term Strategies
Even when working from home, it’s important to have discipline by using work and stress management methods. Some of those can be crucial “valves” to ease off stress and pressure from time to time. A few tactics include:
Setting Work Boundaries
Some people find that once they’re working from home, they work all the time. The distinction between the office and one’s personal space has dissolved. It’s essential to restore this boundary and put the day’s work aside rather than allowing certain triggers to remain.
Saying “No” When Working
If you’re working at home, you still have a lot of job-related tasks to deal with. However, your partner or children may view your presence as reason enough to disturb you, so it’s crucial to create a division between your work life and your home life. Trying to handle too many things at once every day is a source of stress in the workplace, and the same is true at home.
Meditating
Meditation is a simple way to relieve stress, and the best part is that you’ve mostly got all the tools you need to start doing it. Additional accessories, such as meditation crystals like fluorite, help facilitate a process that, if cultivated as a “good habit,” can make a substantial day-to-day difference in stress management.
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