How I Reduce Stress from Working-From-Home

I've been working from home for almost two years now, and I love the fact that I don't have to stress myself out by commuting and dressing up just to get through the day. And since we are still in a pandemic situation, it also reduces social interactions. However, this is not always the case because, aside from all of the benefits, working from home can be detrimental.

One major factor that always concerns me is my mental capabilities, as I can no longer leave the tension and drama at work if I ever encounter one; it's now right at home with me all of the time, and it's definitely a difficult thing to escape, causing me stress.

The good news is that, while preventing stress while working from home can be difficult, there are a few approaches I use to help reduce it, including the following:

Personal Space Limits

I was excited to set up all of my devices when I first started working from home, and I even placed everything beside my bed so I could lay down whenever I needed to. However, I later realize that it is no longer making me productive, and that I am unable to separate my personal space from my workstation. And this gives me anxiety because I can't seem to get away from the pressures of my job.

As a result, I decided to set up a small workspace away from my bed (or sometimes I work outside the house) and from the places I consider my safe havens to relax in order to achieve the best work-life balance possible when working from home.

Outside Work Activities

Aside from being committed to my work and schedule, I also make a point of taking breaks and doing other things when I'm not on shift. Just because I work from home doesn't mean I don't have the right to take breaks during the day. I make it a point to use that time to do something relaxing—and to avoid using my laptop in the process. Even if it's just 10 minutes of playing games and sitting in the sun, you'll feel less stressed when you return to work.

Speaking of games, I came across this online website with a wide range of options. And, because their game list is constantly updated, it's nearly impossible to play them all at once. It's called plays.org, and what I like about it is that each game looks familiar, but when you play it, it's different from what you're used to because new features have been added, the level has been raised, and so on.

Playing at plays.org is a huge help, especially when you're stressed and having trouble concentrating. What I do is set the game to Random, which means it will choose a game at random for me. I don't think it's necessary for me to spend a lot of time deciding which game to play, and I think it's more exciting not knowing which game will appear.

Personally, I’m very hooked whenever The Hungry Games and Race Cars are on screen. They’re fun to play with and easy to navigate.

Go Out Regularly

That doesn't mean you'll stay inside because you're working from home and have everything you need at your fingertips. Going out is one of the most effective ways to relieve stress.

It also helps that I have dogs who require me to take them outside for a walk and spend more time in nature because they require exercise as well. Although my time outside hasn't been consistent, I've been out for anywhere from an hour to as little as ten minutes. Regardless of how long I stayed outside, that small dose of nature will help me feel calmer, happier, and more productive when I return home.

This may be a short list of things that work best for me; however, I hope it provides you with some insight into what you should do next for yourself if you find yourself stressed at work.