By A Bonnie, an advice columnist
The COVID-19 pandemic has given all of us so much stress and working a regular 9 to 5 job or internship during this crisis does not help our already dwindling mental health. Thankfully, whether you are working in an office or have been zooming into meetings since mid-March, here are some tips about managing work-related stress.
One of the most prevalent stressors about an office work environment is being exposed to COVID-19. Let’s face it – people are pulling down their mask all the time and wearing it as a chin strap.
People do not want to risk getting the virus at work and bring it home to their families. If you are feeling uncomfortable in your office setting, set some boundaries with your colleagues. Communicate to them your worries, the stress you are under to provide for your family and how you want to safely follow social distancing guidelines.
If you are working remotely, a good way to relieve stress is creating a consistent daily schedule.
When you are working from home, it is easy to just sit in front of the computer all day. The best thing to do is schedule break times during the workday in order to relax and reset your mind.
Think about it: when you are at work, you get somewhere between 30 minutes to an hour for a lunch break. Plan a section of time during the day to sit down and eat lunch instead of taking the meal right back to your computer.
Then, if you have extra time, it could be used to take a small nap. One of the good things about working from home is the easily accessible bed next to the living room.
These breaks can also be utilized to check in on friends, family and other loved ones or to stretch and exercise.
Speaking of exercising, whether you are stuck at home or in your cubicle, being active can relieve some of the stress you may be undergoing.
Spending time outdoors makes spending all day inside more bearable. Head to your local park and take a stroll – the fresh air will be good for you and gives you time to take your mind off the stress from all the work responsibilities that await at home.
As connected to our laptops and phones that we are, it is also important to unplug during stressful times. The same technology that connects us to our work can be the one doing us harm.
Of course it is hard to completely get rid of screen time, but cutting back on it can reduce some of the overbearing stress of COVID-19 related news and work assignments.
It is also said that spending less time on your phone or computer can improve your mood. So, if you are feeling down on yourself due to stress, take time for yourself that involves something you love that does not include being on your phone.
Hopefully with these tips you are to relieve some of the stress that work and pandemic is putting on you. Whatever work environment you are in, please remember to wear your mask and socially distance
