Are We Feeling Anxiety and Stress From Remote Work?

Since the health crisis caused by COVID-19, new opportunities for spec work have emerged for freelancers, due to the fact that a significant increase has evolved due to the growing talent and digitalization of the market, which has been driving the great opening of the business fabric. This contributes to boosting and promoting the innovation of digital technologies, adapting to focus on results.

However, a recent study by the International Labour Organization (ILO) found that 41% of people working from home feel much stressed, while 25% of people working outside the home do not have this problem. In short, it is important to pay attention to the physical and mental well-being of workers, says Joaquín Nunes, Head of Occupational Health and Safety of the International Labour Organization (ILO), according to data reflected in the web portal of the United Nations (UN).

In Freelancers, There Is a Constant Struggle Between Freedom and Anxiety

According to Fernando Alcaraz Mendoza, professor of the Department of Psychology, Education and Health (DPES) of ITESO, says that the new reality imposed by the pandemic has generated imbalances such as stress, anxiety, and depression. However, according to a recent study, 35% of U.S. employees identify as freelancers and 47% of workers are part-time or full-time freelancers.

The whole world is constantly wondering how and when remote work can affect our mental health, with stress, anxiety, and depression. The first rule, which must be taken into account for survival during a situation of isolation, is to be busy. Those who have the possibility to carry out their work from home already have that purpose, but in the long term, will it be enough?

Also read: FLEXIBILITY IS THE KEYWORD FOR THE NEW GENERATIONS

That is why, the psychological effects of working remotely during quarantine go far beyond the greater ease of being distracted, therefore, we share some tips to mitigate them.

1. Boundaries between the lapse at work and the personal lapse

This advice is one of the most basic to give security of an effective working day. It provides the opportunity to be more flexible with schedules, however, it is still an advantage and a problem, because most are working more hours and it is because people have the tendency to work longer when they are allowed flexibility in their schedule, unlike when they don't have the choice.

2. Establish a routine and self-care

Insecurity in the face of quarantine due to a health crisis is one of the most complicated aspects to process on an emotional level because isolation not only anesthetizes us, but it becomes more difficult to find social interaction and making it much easier to reach problems such as anxiety and depression.

3. The freelancer's work by choice is not the same as freelancer's work in the face of the health crisis caused by COVID-19

Because one of the aspects of isolation is the impossibility of face-to-face human contact, especially when remote interactions become more concise and transactional, that is, you can send emails or do meetings online, but you no longer have a break for coffee or group lunch.