Working from home is becoming a more common perk for most office workers. Mental Health America (MHA) conducted of survey that asked people how working remotely benefits them and their findings went beyond staying in PJs all day and having no commute time.
You may not notice how much of your work stress is related to the office environment specifically until you take the office out of the equation. MHA’s survey had over 70% of people state they experienced less distractions and interruptions while working remotely. 65% said they were able to stay out of office politics more easily, and 52% said they were able to have a more comfortable work environment.
With all these perks, it seems like a no-brainer to have all workers work from home to improve productivity and keep employees happy. But according to Amy Morin, a psychotherapist, working remotely will only be beneficial to employees with certain mental strengths.
With all the flexibility working from home provides, it could be a slippery slope for someone who has little self-discipline. Figuring out if you work better from your couch or the library will help you be as productive as possible.
Working from home (as the name implies) also means bringing your work out of the office and into your home. For some, this makes life more convenient, but for others this means having little to no separation of their work and personal life. Making sure you have a set room and hours that are kept separate from your personal routine will help keep a good balance between work and personal responsibilities.
For some, being in an office every day is their main source of regular social interaction. Working remotely can cause isolation and make employees’ mental health worse. Working regular social meet ups around your work schedule will make sure those feelings of loneliness are kept at bay.
Companies providing work from home options can boost mental health and productivity, but making sure you find a work from home that works best for your mental strengths and weaknesses is the only way to get the true benefits of this workplace perk.
