Within a month of COVID-19 taking a hold within North American borders, Forbes published Three Warning Signs That Your Remote Employees Are Starting To Crack Under The Stress Of Working From Home.
2. Within a month of COVID-19
taking a hold within North
American borders, Forbes
published Three Warning Signs
That Your Remote Employees
Are Starting To Crack Under The
Stress Of Working From Home.
Now, the question remains as to
whether or not this article was a
reflection upon what was
occurring to date, or a heads up
for the wave of the increased
workers who quickly were forced
to create home offices.
Well, the writer of this article, her friends and her clients, all from various
professions, almost immediately discovered the following stressors: Grocery
delivery orders arriving too early, and in the middle of appointments. Extra time
needed to set-up virtual meetings. Kids and pets, though cute, demanding
attention all day and at the most interesting moments. Email exchanges having
seemingly to go way past the typical workday schedule. Workspaces being either
too dark or too light, and uncomfortable. Not one of these stressors politely
immerged slowly. In fact, they all felt as if they descended at the same time.
Research has supported this work-from-home-stress phenomenon. Trent, Smith
and Wood (1994) associated a lower level of social support with a higher level
of stress for those who worked at home, as opposed to employees at the workplace
or telecommuters. In addition, Voydanoff (2005) concluded that “the demands
that were positively related to work-to-family conflict and perceived stress were
commuting time, bringing work home, job contacts at home, and work-family
multitasking.” It is obvious that commuting time is null if one works from home.
However, both researchers revealed the other, unavoidable, remaining and
common stressors.
3. Now, how can workers working from home reduce their stress load and achieve
work-life balance?
Firstly, organizational leaders must be on board. In their article, Drew
and Dareth (2009) promoted that management and Human Resources need to:
a) Make sure that work-life balance policies are created and in place;
b) That these policies are known, including via training, to all employees;
c) Lead by example, including admonishing the idea that long hours are
the norm towards success and recognition.
At the employee level, this writer and counsellor recommend five areas on which
to focus, to reduce working-from-home-stress:
1) Implementing and continuing daily, self-care strategies, such as exercise,
healthy eating and mindfulness practices.
2) Sticking to a set work schedule, avoiding overtime and late hours, and
including breaks.
3) Making sure one is spending time with family and friends.
4) Avoid multi-tasking, with work or play.
5) Allow time for social and daily connection with work colleagues.
Above all and in conclusion, there is a sixth domain which is equally necessary
to include: Giving oneself grace, instead of grief, when trying to achieve a work-
life balance. In typical days, implementing any change can be challenging. In
many cases, people have practiced maladaptive habits for years, and these vices
are not undone easily. Now, with the added stress of a bigger, negative force
called COVID-19, more patience with oneself is paramount and primary.
Remember the famous saying,“Physician, heal thyself.”
4. References:
Drew, E., & Daverth, G. (2009). Living to work…. Or working to live? The
role of managers in creating work life balance in Ireland. Irish Congress
of Trade Unions, 1-27.
Murphy, M. (2020). Three warning signs that your remote employees are starting
to crack under the stress of working from home. Forbes.
Trent, J.T., Smith, A.L., & Wood, D.L. (1994). Telecommuting: stress and social
support. Psychological Report (74), 1312-1314.
Voydanoff, P. (2005). Consequences of boundary-spanning demands and
resources for work-to-family conflict and perceived stress. Journal of
Occupational Health Psychology, 10(4), 491–503.
Source: https://www.bayridgecounsellingcentres.ca/finding-balance-in-
your-new-workplace-home/
