How Remote Work Saved My Mental Health

I know that this subject regarding remote work is over-discussed, and both people and companies are trying to find the best formula to be productive after this harsh period. Yet, I don’t believe in the myth that working remotely can affect your productivity or mental health. On the contrary, it was a health-saver solution for me. Most people say that working remotely will make you lose social contact or get you into a routine. But not for me. For me, it works the other way around.

Self-organize is an important key

Remote work for me doesn’t mean working from home every time. But still, when I’m working from home, I can be more productive as I’m making a list of tasks to fulfill until the end of the day while I’m drinking my coffee and reading the news. Sometimes I like to slip some guilty pleasures that will offer me the necessary break from work on that digital to-do list. Things like cooking my lunch, reading a book for 30 minutes, or watering my plants. Things that I can’t do if I’m at the office. But what I like about working remotely is that I can create my ideal context to be creative and productive. So, I preferer a quiet environment while doing my job.

Time is such an important element in our lives. And sometimes, I feel like it is slipping through my fingers. That’s why I’m trying to avoid losing any second by various means. But, on the other hand, knowing that I get to organize my timing and tasks makes me feel like there is no pressure on my shoulders. Thus, I can work better and be more productive, sometimes in a shorter time than nine-to-six. But, again, this works for me and my workflow.

There is life after work

Working from the comfort of my home gives me the time to breathe and think. But, of course, this may not be working for you if you’re a social person and you like the idea of socializing at the office. Or you need to know that every day from Monday to Friday you have a place to go and to leave. I strongly think that people should choose how to work and find their productive formula. In the end, it is about the results you’re delivering at your job, not about the place from where you’re doing that.

People are working differently. What is good for me is that it can’t be good for you. And companies should not be afraid to put their people’s mental health first, instead of the company profit. If you’re creating them the ideal way of working, trust me, they will be more productive, and your company will grow. If you’re forcing them to some rules without having something solid behind them, at some point, they will leave.

Then, of course, there are businesses where people can’t work remotely, like a job in a supermarket. But where it’s possible, listen to them and their needs. I think that the purpose of this pandemic was to realize that societies and human beings need restoration. We needed a break from the chaos, from running in this life. And this period was ideal for reflecting on that, even if you own a business or are just an employee.

We’re living in a digital era. That’s for sure. And why not take advantage of this and change something in the way we’re working and living. Having the freedom to organize my time was the best thing for my mental health. Having the possibility of working remotely, or at least on a hybrid program, helped me focus on different things, not only job tasks. And I think that the most important aspect is that working from where I want has helped me write this article because my mind is still thinking clearly.