In the past few years, almost everyone has experienced a change in their routine — especially when it comes to work. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many people transitioned from working in the office to working from home. Now years later, some have begun to return to offices but others have accepted working from home as their new normal.
A change in routine can always cause stress, and for someone who is depressed, it can feel insurmountable. In the past five years, we’ve found that from home can sometimes take a toll on your mental health and may trigger depression. Here’s why:
A Softening of Rules, a Lack of Structure
Psychologists say that the link between working from home and depression is largely due to a lack of structure. At work, you might be required or at least feel socially obligated to dress in a certain way and to work during a set schedule. The same is not true for working from home. No one at home is going to hold you accountable about clocking in and clocking out at certain times.
In fact, in the lack of structure, sometimes the lines are blurred from the employer side of things, as well. You may be more likely to receive emails from your employer late at night, during the weekend, or other times that you would typically prefer to rest.
The habit of getting up in the morning to prepare for work sets a structure, which is important for a healthy brain. Changing into office clothes can help you shift your mindset so that you can more easily focus on work. It may help, even when working from home, to create a routine that shifts you into a working mind.
Loss of Social Connection
Office culture tends to come with a lot of chit-chat, and it was only during the years of the pandemic that we saw how valuable that chit-chat could be. Talking about your weekend with a coworker during breaks, having inside jokes with your team, and simply being around other people helps to boost morale and keep everyone motivated. Even with things like Zoom and Slack, much of that social connection is lost when working from home.
The loss of that personal connection can be tough for someone with mental health issues. Human beings are hardwired to be social and crave social connection. Ultimately, working from home can be very lonely and isolating, especially when you’re used to working in the office.
A Lack of Work Life Balance
Before the pandemic, most people were able to separate their work and their home life. When they clocked out of work and drove or took the bus home, they were no longer an employee. This time was for them. The spaces were separate, never meeting, and that made it easier to maintain a balance. This is something that people have begun to struggle with since the rise of working from home.
When you work in the same place where you live, it’s harder to set proper boundaries. This is especially true if your partner also works from home — especially during the summer when your kids might be home with school. There’s a lack of personal space that everyone needs in order to refill their well. And again, when your employers have access to you digitally at all times, they may sometimes take advantage of that and try to pull you into work during what would be your personal time.
This lack of work-life balance can leave you feeling hopeless and burned out, which can contribute to depression. It’s important to set boundaries where you can and have a dedicated workspace within your home. Now that social distancing rules have eased somewhat, you can also change up your location by going to a library or coffee shop if you don’t have a physical office space.
Lack of Physical Activity
When working at the office was the norm, we would wake up, get in the car or run to catch the bus, walk around the office, and often go out for lunch. Then, at the end of the day, we would get in the car or catch the bus again and go home. Even if exercise wasn’t a part of your daily routine, those little moments of physical activity added up.
But when working from home, much of that isn’t necessary. You could simply sit up in bed, start the day on your laptop, get up to heat up some leftovers for lunch, and then return to your bed. There’s less of a necessity for physical activity, and because work is often so taxing, there’s less motivation to go out and exercise.
When you exercise, your body releases endorphins to help boost your mood and make you feel less stressed and more motivated. When you sit stagnant all day, you may become lethargic. People with depression are particularly vulnerable to this and may begin to take on vegetative symptoms of depression. Where you can, it might be a good idea to get up and take a walk or do some stretches in the morning or evening just to put some movement back in your day.
Are You Depressed?
If working from home has got you feeling depressed, seek help as you would during normal times. Depression is highly treatable. Never has it been more critical to prioritize your mental health and take care of yourself with the balancing act that you have to do at home. If you are noticeably becoming more irritable and anxious, are unable to focus on work, and are losing interest in things that used to bring you joy, talk to a mental health professional.
Rivia Mind is Here to Help
If you’re looking for a warm and compassionate psychiatrist or psychologist for depression treatment, reach out to us at Rivia Mind. Our mental health professionals take the time to listen to you and develop a partnership that will benefit you the most. We tailor our services according to your needs and do not believe in a one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to mental health. Our goal is to restore your mental health and well-being as naturally as possible.
To schedule your first visit, contact us, or browse our providers now, appointments are available as soon as 24 hours. If you’re ready to give it a try even sooner – at no cost – schedule your FREE 15 minute phone consultation now. We look forward to hearing from you.
