Coronavirus pandemic has changed the way we live and it has been a big task adjusting to this new normal. Ms Shourya Gupta,Consultant Clinical Psychologist working at The Lifestyle Clinic New Delhi shares her views on how to Manage Work from Office in Covid-19 Pandemic.
Our work lives changed enormously when the lockdown started, we suddenly had to stay indoors and work from home using digital media. But now as the lockdown has eased, our work lives are changing again and some of us are required to join our workplaces back again. Despite the number of Coronavirus cases still increasing drastically in our country we are required to return to our workplaces in order to restart the economy or to provide service to others.
We might have a lot of mixed feelings about coming back to work – it might be exciting also to come back to the normal life again but at the same time it might make us anxious also because there is still a fear of catching the virus and there are added responsibilities of social distancing and doing hygiene practices. We also may be worried about using public transport, which we used to do before the Coronavirus came. There might be some circumstances of our work that cause us anxiety and frustration. And other people’s behaviour like not following social distancing or hygiene protocols properly also might cause frustration. Encountering new stressors that might not have existed before at work place might impact on our mental health adversely, and especially with those who already had an underlying mental illness like depression, anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Some tips that you can follow while working from your office/workplace to keep your mental health in order during Covid-19 Pandemic –
- Firstly, try maintaining the hygiene measures as advised by the authorities. Hand washing for atleast 20 seconds, cleaning and sanitizing things that have been exposed to other people, and not touching your nose, mouth and face are a must in preventing the virus spread.
- Keep your immune system strong by taking the following steps –
- Getting enough sleep
- Including immunity boosting food in your diet
- Staying hydrated
- Taking necessary vitamins
- Taking out time for exercising
- Keep a regular schedule: Create and maintain a routine and schedule. Do not forget to include periodic breaks for recharging yourself in your schedule.
- Include some self-care time in your routine after your working hours, it can be doing anything that makes you happy like meditating, exercising, cooking/baking, talking to a friend, drawing/painting, dancing, eating a chocolate, singing out loud, journalling, gardening, etc.
- Exercise and stay active: This is not only good for your physical health, but also your mental health. Periodically, get up and move around your cabin.
- The virus is likely to be a hot topic of conversation at work. Try to minimise the intake of gossip. It can help manage your anxiety related to the virus.
- Stay connected with your family, friends, and support systems and talk about your fears and concerns with people you trust.
- Stay informed: It is good to stay updated on progress being made in combatting the virus. Stay informed on the latest updates from reliable sources like the World Health Organization (WHO).
- At work, prioritize personal hygiene and limit contact with others and avoid contact with those who are sick.
- Stay at home when you feel sick.
- Recognize warning signs and triggers: Continue to monitor new or worsening symptoms you may be experiencing with either your mental health or overall health and well-being. Do your best to keep your stress level low and engage in activities that help you manage your stress levels during these testing times.
- If despite trying all of these, you feel your mental health is beyond your control, consider taking help of a mental health professional.
