Michael Page Logo

Main menu

  • Home
  • Jobs+

    Browse for Jobs

    • Browse for Jobs
    • Accounting & Finance
    • Banking & Financial Services
    • Consultancy, Strategy & Change
    • Customer Service
    • Digital
    • Engineering & Manufacturing
    • Healthcare
    • Human Resources
    • Legal
    • Life Sciences
    • Marketing
    • Office Support
    • Procurement & Supply Chain
    • Property
    • Retail
    • Sales
    • Technology
    • Executive Search
    • Temp & Contracting

    Search for jobs

    Searching for a job?

    • Searching for a job?
    • Job search
    • Submit your CV
    • Career advice
    • Contracting
    • 2020 Salary Guide
    • Job Applicant Confidence Index
    • Japan's most sought after benefits
    • What makes a good corporate culture?
    • Salary Comparison Tool - Are you getting paid enough?
  • Advice+

    Career Advice

    • Career Advice
    • Career progression
    • Changing jobs
    • Interviewing
    • Productivity and performance
    • Resume and cover letter
    • Salary and negotiation
    • Work-life balance

    Management advice

    • Management advice
    • Engagement and retention
    • Hiring
    • Leadership
    • Staff development
    • Market insights
    • 2020 Salary Guide
    • Hiring in Fintech

    ABC's of Technology

    • https://www.michaelpage.co.jp/en
    • Download Humans of AI report
    • Download Humans of Blockchain report

    Most Popular Articles

    • Most Popular Articles
    • Tips for Recruiting in Japan
    • Fintech in Japan: 2020 and Beyond
    • 7 killer questions to ask in a job interview
    • 5 tips to help you identify your next career opportunity
    • Common interview questions
    • What does a recruitment consultant do
  • Recruiting+

    Looking to hire?

    • Recruitment services
    • Recruitment services
    • Contracting Services
    • Submit Job Spec
    • Management Advice
    • 2020 Salary Guide
    • Job Applicant Confidence Index
    • Benefits that attract the best talent
    • What makes a good corporate culture?
    • Hiring in Fintech
    • Job Advertising: ReachTalent
    • Remote hiring

    Page Project Outsourcing

    • Page Project Outsourcing
    • About Page Project Outsourcing
    • Our approach
    • Our team of experts
    • Our testimonials

    Recruitment expertise

    • Recruitment expertise
    • Accounting & Finance
    • Banking & Financial Services
    • Consultancy, Strategy & Change
    • Engineering & Manufacturing
    • Healthcare
    • Human Resources
    • Legal
    • Life Sciences
    • Marketing
    • Office Support
    • Procurement & Supply Chain
    • Property
    • Retail
    • Sales
    • Technology
    • Executive Search
    • Temp & Contracting
    • Request a callback
  • Contracting+

    Contracting

    • Contracting
    • Contractors
    • Employers
  • About+

    About us

    • https://www.michaelpage.co.jp/en
    • Who we are
    • What we do
    • Work for us
    • Media Releases
    • PageGroup
    • Page Executive
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
  • Join PageGroup+

    Join PageGroup

    • About PageGroup
    • About PageGroup
    • Why choose us?
    • Your role here
    • Use your skills
    • FAQs
    • Apply now
  • Contact+

    Contact

    • https://www.michaelpage.co.jp/en
    • Find our offices
    • Looking to hire?
    • Submit your CV
    • Feedback

Language

  • 日本語
Sign In
Saved jobs (0)

Language

  • 日本語
Saved jobs (0)
Sign In
ログインまたは登録
Search for a job

You are here

Home>Advice>Career Advice>Productivity and performance>Top tips for managing your mental health while working remotely

Top tips for managing your mental health while working remotely

by Michael Page
-
13/04/2020
Millions of workers have had to adapt to working from home in recent weeks, as a result of social isolation measures implemented by governments to stem the spread of the coronavirus outbreak. In such situations, it is natural that practical concerns take initial priority in the first few days and weeks - setting up temporary home offices, connecting to work networks and considering what the outbreak means for short, medium- and long-term projects. However, with no official announcements yet forthcoming about how long the measures will be in place, many will be considering how to make homeworking sustainable in the medium and even long term as they adapt to new ways of working and interacting with colleagues.

One area that many employees will be particularly considering is their mental health and how it could be affected by such a sudden change in circumstances. Clearly, this is a multi-faceted topic and everyone’s individual circumstances will be different, both inside and outside of work. For this reason and for the purposes of this article, we will be looking solely into work factors which can affect an individual’s mental health and explore ways of alleviating stress and anxiety. Here’s some key elements to consider:

1. Create the best working environment you can

Not everyone is lucky enough to have a home office ready to go – and even those who have may not be used to spending many weeks operating in this space. If you are setting up a home office for the first time, you may not have a wealth of options in terms of location, especially if you are sharing the space with family members or housemates who are also unexpectedly working from home. If you can, try to set up somewhere with lots of natural light and ventilation. It can be easy to overlook how a regular dose of vitamin D from sunlight can really help to affect your mood. If others in your household are working, consider whether you would find a co-working-style set up on a kitchen table more motivating or whether separate spaces could help with concentration. It may even be that you mix things up and move to different locations throughout the day – which might be a necessity if you have children around, too. Ultimately, it’s all about creating a space that you can feel comfortable and productive in – even a few small touches like plants or pictures can go a long way in making your working space feel welcoming and ultimately help with productivity. 

2. Prioritise healthy communication above all else

If you are used to working in a central office, where colleagues are mere metres away, it can be difficult to adapt to a new situation where holding a conversation is not as easy as shouting over the desk. The key to making this work when operating remotely is to communicate as often as you can, through a range of different mediums. Although email very much still has its place in disseminating information, try not to over rely on it. Where possible, pick up the phone or use a platform like Skype or FaceTime for a video call. Interacting with your colleagues in this way can help with avoiding loneliness or isolation – and will also often help you to solve an issue much more quickly. If you are a manager, insist that your team catch up as a group at least once per day to align on priorities and engender team spirit. 

3. Create boundaries between work and home life

Even seasoned homeworkers can find this a particular challenge, as the lines get blurred between your working space and home. With no commute to worry about, it can be easy to fall into the trap of working longer hours or to stretch tasks out due to distractions. For these reasons, it is essential to implement healthy and build boundaries. Options to consider include:

- Set strict start and end times for your day and do all you can to stick to them
- Ensure that you get out of the house at least once a day for exercise
- Take regular breaks throughout the day, in different rooms of the house. Even ten minutes drinking coffee in the kitchen can make a difference
- Work hard to switch off in the evening, avoiding looking at emails or messages if possible

4. Do not be afraid to be honest with your employer

Even before the outbreak of the virus, mental health had enjoyed a prominent spot on the business agenda for a number of years, as leaders woke up to the importance of looking after the mental health of staff. Whilst all employers are now themselves having to think about how they adapt their operations in the face of huge restrictions on their workforce, this does not mean that you as an employee cannot raise concerns about your individual situation. Whether your query relates to childcare challenges, feelings of isolation, connectivity or equipment challenges or simply a feeling of being overwhelmed, it is important to raise your concerns with your manager and seek appropriate support, just as you would if you were operating in a physical location. If you yourself are a manager, it’s worth considering the following key elements when it comes to the mental wellbeing of staff 
  • Show empathy at all times
  • Ask the right questions
  • Possess solid listening skills
  • Understand the limitations of the individual affected
  • Promote self-care
  • Signpost to specialist support
  •  
Previous article
Onboarding new hires with a remote team
by Michael Page
Read article
Next article
Recruiting during COVID-19: talent sourcing opportunities during the challenges
by Michael Page
Read article

Simplify your job search by downloading our App

 

App Storeからダウンロード Google Playで手に入れよう

Join over 50,000 readers!

Get a free weekly update via email here and help kick start your career.

Sign up to receive job alerts

We will let you know when any new !keyword jobs are available. | We will let you know when any new !keyword jobs in !location are available.

Topics

  • Career Advice
  • Management Advice
  • Market Insights

Tags

Future of work
Innovative thinking
Performance Management
Self Improvement
Social
Technology
Useful Tools
Working remotely

Popular Articles

Most Popular Articles

  • Most Popular Articles
  • Tips for Recruiting in Japan
  • Fintech in Japan: 2020 and Beyond
  • 7 killer questions to ask in a job interview
  • 5 tips to help you identify your next career opportunity
  • Common interview questions
  • What does a recruitment consultant do

Advertise Your Role With Us

Advertise Your Role With ReachTalent

Michael Page Logo
  • Read our BlogRead our Blog
  • Follow us on FacebookFollow us on Facebook
  • Follow us on InstagramFollow us on Instagram
  • Follow us on LinkedInFollow us on LinkedIn
  • Follow us on TwitterFollow us on Twitter
  • Watch us on YouTubeWatch us on YouTube

Navigation

  • Change country/region
  • Email disclaimer
  • Investor site
  • PageGroup corporate site
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookie policy
  • Site map
  • Site terms

Accreditations

ISO27001 Accreditation

Our Expertise

  • Accounting, Audit & Advisory, Tax and Treasury
  • Banking & Financial Services
  • Consultancy, Strategy and Change
  • Customer Service
  • Digital
  • Engineering & Manufacturing
  • Executive Search
  • Healthcare
  • Human Resources
  • IT
  • Legal
  • Life Sciences
  • Marketing
  • Procurement & Supply Chain
  • Property
  • Retail
  • Sales
  • Secretarial

Apps

Download from the App Store

 

Download from Google Play

 

Employer Centre

  • Feedback
  • Looking to hire?
  • Submit your CV
  • Tokyo office

© Michael Page International (Japan) K.K. Corporation Number 0104-01-043253 Registered Office 6F Hulic Kamiyacho Building 4-3-13 Toranomon, Minato-ku Tokyo 105-0001