Four Ways to Avoid Stress, Anxiety and Feeling Overwhelmed When Working From Home

In the current moment, all of us are required to be more resilient and agile in the face of incredible change and uncertainty. Whether we’ve worked from home before, or whether these past months have been a new experience, working remotely can make any of us feel anxious, stressed or overwhelmed if we lack  the right mindset and strategies.

Like many people, I am also searching for the most effective ways to support and lead my organization while working from home. Below are four strategies that have helped me stay focused and reduce stress while working remotely and leading my virtual teams.

 1.    Create a Routine and Set Boundaries

Setting workday limits is a challenge for most people working from home. The tendency to remain plugged in and to work longer hours can be hard to resist when there are fewer physical and mental boundaries between home and work, particularly during these times of uncertainty.

Setting a clear routine with scheduled breaks throughout the day is critical. When working in an office setting, our days are likely filled with mental breaks – chatting with colleagues, getting up to get coffee or a snack, walking to a conference room for a meeting, going out for lunch. Recreating those breaks at home with similar ones adapted to your environment can break up your day and give it structure.

Most importantly, set a consistent time to start and end your workday. Designate a working area, so you can shut down your computer and leave your “working” space at the end of the day, much like you would leave an office. And during the time you might normally be driving home from the office, take a walk or do some other physical activity. Even if you do check email or open your computer later at night, the line between work and personal life will become more distinct which will help to keep you from feeling overwhelmed.

2.    Focus on One Thing at a Time.

Dale Carnegie talked about living in day-tight compartments. It’s a very effective productivity and stress management principle, but it requires effort.

Many of us are being asked to go above and beyond in our roles, to adapt to change, adjust to new routines, develop a plan and execute with high expectations from clients, managers and stakeholders. Together with the challenges of working remotely such as brainstorming and problem solving alone or with remote teams, it may be difficult to keep from focusing on multiple issues or challenges on the horizon. 

Practice focusing on the task at hand and today’s priorities. This focus can help manage the anxiety and stress that can inhibit productivity.

3.    Discuss Issues Face to Face

The nature of our business at Dale Carnegie is about helping people, and part of that is the need to communicate effectively. It’s easy to feel alienated or disengaged from a team if your only connection is via video, email, or chat.

Face-to-face interaction is an essential part of communicating effectively, even if the most we can do now is through video. At the least, being able to see others facilitates better communication through non-verbal cues and the ability to “read” emotions. While not in person, it’s the next best way to discuss difficult issues and feelings around stress and anxiety.

As leaders, one of the most important objectives is to prioritize, especially during times of confusion, change or uncertainty. Discussing issues over video platforms makes it easier to prioritize decisions and to help remote teams remain productive and less burdened by stress. For example, I find it easier to understand my team’s workload and how they’re feeling about it if we can see each other on a video call, rather than relying on email or voice calls only.

 4.    Make Time for Social Interaction

Today, many of us are not only working from home, but also dealing with the isolation of social distancing and other realities of the pandemic. It has never been more important to make time for social interactions.

Whether it’s checking in with friends, loved ones or with colleagues, spending (virtual) time with others and building that into your daily routine, both outside and during work hours, is essential. For example, at Dale Carnegie many of our remote teams regularly eat lunch together or do a happy hour via a Zoom call so we can all stay connected. We’re lucky enough to have the technology that connects us to others, even when we’re working and living apart, but these tools are only valuable if we use them consistently and often.

As you prioritize human connection, and find ways to create routines and communicate with your teams and colleagues, you’ll be better able to manage stress and worry, whether you’re working remotely or transitioning back into the office in the coming weeks or months.