Mental Health:
Make Working From Home, Work For You
Mental health continues to be an important conversation with increasing awareness and understanding about how integral it is to our well-being. It's apparent that many people have struggled with having poor mental health at some point and to varying degrees, which is why this conversation is so beneficial.
For most of us, the past couple of years have been challenging and there have been huge adjustments to work life, including a big movement towards flexible working and working from home, hybrid working, or returning to the office.
Our mental health extends to how we feel in the workplace and equally, our work has an impact on our mental well-being too, with a recent survey finding that over half of employees experience anxiety or low mood.
Working remotely offers more flexibility but it can come with its own struggles. The main benefits for most of us working from home are the flexibility and lack of commute, but some of the struggles include feeling lonely and isolated from colleagues and difficulty separating home life from work life.
As a remote-working team, we at Alchemy Medical Writing acknowledge these struggles and strive to combat them together, and I’m going to briefly talk about some key points that I think are important to help us achieve a better work-life balance, reduce stress, and feel part of a team.
1. Connecting and communicating 
For me, the best and most simple way to combat feeling isolated is to reach out to my colleagues in our Teams chats, and this can be a message, a phone call, or a video call. As well as work chat, we often share gardening updates, holiday snaps, and TV recommendations, and having this more personal conversation helps to feel connected.
Opening up about the good and bad days is really important too. It is amazing to celebrate the wins in life, but it is also incredibly uniting to share something that hasn’t got to plan or a task that feels tough. I’ve found that most people like to help others, and with our own knowledge and experiences, we can help to shed light on that seemingly impossible brief, that difficult software, or those mind-boggling statistics. We’ve all been there, right?
2. Taking breaks 
A survey revealed that 35% of employees feel stress at work, with workload being the most impacting factor. Although we can’t always determine our workload, taking time for a break and getting some downtime is important for a better work-life balance, helping us think more clearly and avoiding burnout! The Health and Safety Executive also recommends that we leave our desks for a short break every 30 minutes.
Consider having a mindfulness break too. Mindfulness is a practice to focus on the present moment and can help in times of feeling stress or anxiety to improve your mental well-being. One way you can do this is through focused breathing exercises, and here is a 2-minute video to guide you through a mindful breathing exercise from Every Mind Matters if you’d like to try this for yourself. It’s easier and more effective than you might think!
3. Moving your body 
We all know and are told, that exercise and moving your body makes you feel better and allows you to think more clearly. Getting out for a walk is great, but we can also do some simple movements such as chair stretches or a walk to the kitchen for a cup of tea. The NHS recommend some great sitting exercises which can be done at your desk and these are great if you don’t have much time.
Here is a visual to help you get stretching.
4. Optimising your workspace 
Tidy desk, tidy mind! Personally, this helps me hugely; having an organised, neat, and tidy desk space is so important. It gives me clarity and peace with minimal distraction, which really allows me to work well and perform at my best. A simple yet very effective practice.
Seating is important too. Being sat for most of the day for work requires a good, comfortable chair which supports my back, to avoid aches and pains or even long-term posture issues. I also have a footrest which I use to improve my posture and circulation and reduce pressure on my legs and back while sitting for long periods.
5. Feeling valued 
This can perhaps feel more difficult to achieve as it considers your workplace, colleagues, and management team. But there are things we can do ourselves to help us feel a sense of achievement, pride, and value. Signing up for online training sessions can help you to focus on something new and can give you a sense of achievement when you have powered up your personal development.
Regular meetings with managers or mentors are also important as they allow you time to discuss your work, goals, and general well-being. Opportunities to feel heard and valued are key, with 75% of people likely to stay with their current employer if they had regular career chats.
I appreciate that it’s easier said than done to incorporate new routines. It’s completely human to have highs and lows too, so I think it’s important that we try to give ourselves, and each other, patience and understanding when things are a little more difficult.
Finally, don’t hesitate to reach out if you need to – a trusted colleague or friend or family member may be able to support you or just be there to listen.
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There are lots of resources if you need some support - The Mind website lists some great organisations and contacts:
Anxiety UK
03444 775 774 (helpline) / 07537 416 905 (text)
Advice and support for people living with anxiety.
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Beat
0808 801 0677 (England) / 0808 801 0433 (Wales)
Offers information and advice on eating disorders, and runs a supportive online community. Also provides a directory of support services at HelpFinder.
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British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP)
Professional body for talking therapy and counselling. Provides information and a list of accredited therapists.
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Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM)
Provides listening services, information and support for anyone who needs to talk, including a web chat.
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Carers UK
0808 808 7777 / 029 2081 1370 (Carers Wales) / advice@carersuk.org
Advice and support for anyone who provides care.
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Disability Rights UK
Information and support for people living with a disability.
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FRANK
Confidential advice and information about drugs, their effects and the law.
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Hafal
Information and support for people affected by mental health problems in Wales.
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Hearing Voices Network
Information and support for people who hear voices or have other unshared perceptions, including local support groups.
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MindOut
Mental health service run by, and for, LGBTQ+ people.
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National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE)
Produces guidelines on best practice in healthcare.
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NHS UK
Information about health problems and treatments, including details of local NHS services in England.
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No Panic
Provides a helpline, step-by-step programmes, and support for people with anxiety disorders.
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Papyrus HOPELINEUK
0800 068 41 41 / 07860039967 (text) / pat@papyrus-uk.org
Confidential support for under-35s at risk of suicide and others who are concerned about them. Open daily from 9am–midnight.
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Samaritans
116 123 (freephone) / jo@samaritans.org / Freepost SAMARITANS LETTERS
Samaritans are open 24/7 for anyone who needs to talk. You can visit some Samaritans branches in person. Samaritans also have a Welsh Language Line on 0808 164 0123 (7pm–11pm every day).
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Sane
Offers emotional support and information for anyone affected by mental health problems.
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Student Minds
Mental health charity that supports students.
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Time to Change (England) (Wales Campaign)
National campaign to end stigma and discrimination against people with mental health problems in England and Wales. The campaign for England ended in 2021, but its resources are still available online.
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Turning Point
Health and social care services in England for people with a learning disability. Also supports people with mental health problems, drug and alcohol abuse or unemployment.
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YoungMinds
0808 802 5544 (Parents Helpline) / 85258 (Crisis Messenger for young people – text the letters YM)
Committed to improving the mental health of babies, children and young people, including support for parents and carers