For centuries many people have gotten up and went to work at a business of some sort. Whether working 9-5, 8-4, 7-3, 11-7, 10-6, or 6-2, most people work eight hours a day with 30 minutes to an hour lunch break. Since the pandemic, many employees have had to move their offices home. Now while there are many benefits to working from home, a significant downside is the impact it has on people’s mental health. The loneliness, anxiety, and stress can cause depression or cause it to worsen. Many people feel isolated, and the only interaction they have is through email, chat, and phone calls with clients, fellow employees, or bosses. They don’t get the face-to-face interaction they are used to having.
Helen Lee Schifter lives in New York City, where life is fast-paced. She meditates daily to keep sane. Meditation is a way people can expand their minds and reach beyond society. It helps to eliminate self-doubt. The body is at peace, and the mind will decompress also. Meditation is similar to yoga in a way in which it allows for stress to be released. Schifter does suggest watching videos, finding an instructor, or taking classes before trying to meditate. Find a quiet place to relax, and focus on taking deep breaths and letting go of anxieties.
When working from home, it helps to start the day off right. Don’t stay in pajamas or sleep clothes. Get up, take a shower, and get ready for work as if leaving somewhere. Create a quiet workspace, if possible. Get a comfortable chair and noise-canceling headphones. Both will help tremendously. Keep the work area as neat as possible, so it doesn’t clutter the mind. Please take a few minutes after each shift and clean the workspace up and organize it. Have pen and paper nearby for note-taking. Keep a to-do list of things that need doing asap and items that don’t have a time frame.
Helen Lee Schifter believes that taking a break from working every hour or so and getting up and stretching or moving around. Energy tends to flow more if moving, even if it’s only for ten or fifteen minutes. One can also incorporate into their day every twenty minutes stand up and stretch for twenty seconds; it’s called the 20/20. When creating a schedule, stick with it. It is effortless to slack off when working from home. There is no one to make sure work is getting done at a particular time.
So remember, meditation can help with disturbances of mental health and clear the mind. Focus on taking deep breaths and maintaining a set schedule, and keeping the workspace clean and organized. Remember to take frequent breaks, even if only for a few minutes. Stretch and move around often to keep energy flowing. Be sure to start each day right and get up and get ready like any typical day before the pandemic, and eat a hearty breakfast every day. It will begin to get much easier each day.