Tips for Managing Mental Health in Remote Environments - Crossroads Health

Tips for Managing Mental Health in Remote Environments

People worldwide are spending more time working, learning, and socializing remotely.

They’ve enjoyed how flexible remote working arrangements are. They’ve taken pleasure in the ease and comfort of socializing online. They’ve also enjoyed the convenience and cost-effectiveness of online education.

However, despite the benefits of remote environments, preserving mental health is still a significant concern. You must be proactive about managing your mental health if engaging in online environments is to be productive.

Keep reading for tips on taking care of your mental health when working or learning online.

Create a Routine

Flexibility can be the best and worst part of doing everything from home. You can choose when, where, and how you work. But at the same time, that kind of freedom can lead people to never adhere to a solid routine.

When you don’t create a routine, you may not be able to reach the level of productivity you want. In addition, it might be harder to log off each day, leading to burnout and worsened mental health.

Create a routine when working remotely, in particular. Design a morning routine that helps you get into a positive mental space for work. Develop an evening routine as well to help you wind down and reengage in your personal life.

Prioritize Your Personal Life

The lines between work and life can be easily blurred when you work from home. It’s difficult to clock out from work and create boundaries that allow you to have a personal life. Something so crucial for your mental health.

Prioritizing your personal life as much, if not more, than your work is crucial. Focus on creating a sustainable balance between the two to prioritize mental health while working or learning remotely. The following tips can help get you started:

• Make time for fun
• Feed your passions
• Exercise and eat well
• Learn to manage stress
• Cultivate self-awareness
• Set intentional work hours
• Practice meditation and mindfulness
• Implement at least one self-care activity a day
• Make a “What I did today” list instead of a to-do list
• Eliminate technology an hour before bed and get your rest

Meet People in Real Life

One of the things people miss the most when primarily working and learning remotely is in-person interaction. Of course, video calls and remote meetings keep you connected to others to an extent. But they can’t replace meaningful in-person exchanges.

Get out of the house and meet people in real life. Even if the connection started online, continue to nurture it in offline settings. For example, suppose you’re an online student. In that case, you can meet fellow students and staff by joining an in-person study group, attending events held by local professional organizations, or getting an internship. When it comes to surviving the online college experience, never underestimate the importance of IRL relationships,

Start with a commitment to interact with people in person once a week and work on more opportunities as you become more comfortable.

Be Intentional

It’s common for people to fall into the habit of navigating the online world unintentionally. For example, they mindlessly scroll on social media. Or they “go through the motions” each day in their remote work roles.

When they encounter something that disturbs their mental or emotional well-being, both begin to diminish, especially if you’re coming across these things often.

So, be intentional when you’re online, whether working, going to school, or participating in a remote social activity. Go into everything with a purpose and maybe a few goals for what you want to accomplish and how you want to feel after.

Get away from being online just to be online. Instead, transition to intentional engagement in remote environments to ensure everything you do supports your mental health rather than detracts from it.

Lean on Your Support System

Many remote workers struggle with isolation. So do those that spend the majority of their time online. In addition, isolation can worsen stress and exacerbate mental health conditions like anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Leaning on your support system is critical in managing your mental health in remote environments. It’ll help you stave off isolation and stress. Surrounding yourself with a robust support system can also improve your productivity.

Keep good people around you to thrive in your remote and real world.

Work With a Mental Health Professional

Even though mental health is becoming a prominent conversation, we’re still a ways away from eliminating the stigma around it and working with a mental health professional. Enlisting the help of a mental health professional is probably the quickest way to relieve tough symptoms and better managing your mental health in the future.

Opt for remote sessions if you aren’t comfortable meeting a therapist, counselor, or another mental health professional in person. They can be just as influential and helpful in managing your mental health.

Take a Break From Being Online

When you’re working, going to school, and socializing remotely, it can feel like your whole life is online. Spending so much time online can be so overwhelming that you start to feel mentally, physically, and emotionally exhausted.

If you ever feel like this, it’s a sign to take a break from being online. If you have to request time off from work, do it. If you have to delete social media apps during your break, do that. If you need some time away from your online education, arrange that with your school.

Taking breaks when you need to will help you reset mentally and reengage in your remote environments with a renewed spirit.

Conclusion

As we become a more digitally-focused world, we must be intentional about managing our mental health in remote environments. The tips above will ensure you’re on the right path.

Guest post by Luke Smith