The world is changing rapidly and dizzyingly, with new forms of work and economy, companies have found ways to leverage human talent remotely and for professionals in all fields a whole new universe of possibilities has opened up, telework.
However, not everything is advantageous as everything has its negative counterpart that must be evaluated and considered, indeed a recent investigation yielded very interesting results. The objective of the research focused on understanding the impact of telework on the health of the working population and for this, data from a total of 15 countries were analyzed.
The ILO, that is, the International Labour Organization, which led the research; where among other results, it was discovered that workers were much more productive when performing their tasks outside an office as the most important fact, but the researchers also found that there are certain risks for the worker.
In this regard, the study revealed a very interesting fact that employees who worked from home had much longer working hours, a much more intense workload and also interrupted work to perform household tasks.
On the other hand, the research also distinguished employees into three categories, the first for those employees who regularly worked from home, a second category for those who constantly moved to work in different points and places; and a last category of those workers who divided their time between an office and another site.
The interesting thing about all this is that although telework is a form of production that also provides new options that transcend physical space even to other countries through companies that require human talent without the need for presence, it will be important that as a worker one must establish with some discipline, the necessary routines to establish a balance between work and the rest of the activities in a harmony that is entirely favorable for the well-being and health of the remote worker.
The Findings
Regarding concrete results, the most important critical factors showed that groups of people who usually worked in the office reported much lower levels of stress and insomnia than workers remotely or from home. And to be even more precise, 42% of the latter showed much higher levels of stress, compared to 29% of the workers studied who performed their tasks in an office.
According to the authors of the referenced study, these results clearly indicate that there is an important need to be in contact with other coworkers, although, of the total population studied, a significant majority recognizes that “there are moments when physical isolation offers the best scenario to successfully complete a task,” quoted literally from the study.
Rest Routine
It has been a fundamental element that this modality of telework from home has severely affected daily routines, habits and schedules for essential activities such as eating and rest. So, faced with this new reality, it will be essential to maintain order and effectively follow routines, which means that even from home it is necessary to clearly establish working hours.
Therefore, with the objective of being able to live from this experience, it will be fundamental to draw up a schedule plan where a time is set for each and every daily activity to be developed, including the schedule for telework and of course, to respect it.
Likewise, allocate that specific area to carry out remote work activities where everything necessary is available. In fact, many companies that work under this modality require compliance with a certain number of hours with very precise internal controls, however, there will always be the need to complete a task outside of hours which invades spaces for other also essential activities such as a good night’s rest.
The fact of not having a well-established schedule, the same scenario to live and work, that is, in the same physical space, if not with the same alternatives to rest as in usual work from an office outside the home, are some of the factors that can alter the lives of workers according to opinions of important experts in the field.
It is a fact that before the pandemic caused by the recent health emergency, telework seemed for many companies like a kind of bonus that provided some quality of life for employees. Now it has become, for many workers, a whole experience that can be very difficult to manage.
Concluding then that many people are suffering stress and anxiety, which includes a very good amount of associated physical symptoms such as insomnia, loss of appetite, generalized stomach discomfort, irritability, as well as sudden mood changes.
Boundaries Between the Office and Home
Statements from specialists like psychiatrist Ana Millán explain that, since telework began, “the use of anxiolytics and hypnotics has skyrocketed, especially as a measure to be able to fall asleep.
This is explained by the simple fact that the living space was invaded to work. Although before it was even burdensome and counterproductive to bring work home, now this is a necessity that must be managed.
Thus, it will be essential to separate work hours from personal life. The initial idea of making a schedule and respecting it returns; on the other hand, sedentarism also affects mental health, because workers do not receive the benefit of physical activity and exercise.
Respecting Sleep Hours
A large majority of employees have some companies schedule meetings at noon, which severely affect family lunch time. Others are also called at 8:00 or 9:00 at night because many leaders consider that, having them available at home, they have availability to work at any time of the day. Not having established times to eat, work, or sleep, generates fatigue and stress, it is a whole picture of exhaustion due to the lack of boundaries between private life and work.
Therefore, disconnecting and putting on the pajamas, will be the first step to internalize that it is time to rest. Hence, the use of a good pajama, is part of that habit that allows regularizing night rest and avoiding health disorders associated with stress that can seriously affect physical and emotional state.
Exercise Routines
Most psychiatrist professionals explain that a good way to apply certain palliative measures to the problems that telework can bring is to start the day with a small exercise routine at home before starting work, change clothes and avoid staying in comfortable clothes or working from bed, as well as trying to maintain eating routines at their usual times to avoid losing the usual schedule for lunch and breakfast.
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