Managing Stress as a Remote Employee

Many of us have had to change our lives drastically due to COVID-19, with one of the most prominent changes being the shift to working from home. Both managers and employees are learning new ways to work together, and many are struggling with stress and anxiety at this time.

A recent study by Dr Paul White, psychologist, speaker, and international leadership trainer whose company provides training resources on “making work relationships work” has focused on the many stresses for newly remote employees. The study looked at their concerns, the challenges they were facing, their level of anxiety (and what they were anxious about), what coping behaviours they were using, what feelings they were experiencing, and what positive results were coming from working from home.

It is important to note that White’s study is focused on people who are still employed but have been forced to work remotely due to the coronavirus. This is in contrast to many other studies currently being done that are measuring stress levels of those who have lost their job or are furloughed. White took a diverse sample from 1200 applicants to study the unique challenges faced by 50 people who are both new to or familiar with working from home to see how COVID-19 has affected them.

The study found that the biggest challenges participants have to deal with on a daily basis are issues created from working from home (“working while overseeing my children’s schooling”), work-related issues (“trying to get all my work down while feeling scattered”), and family issues (“children’s behaviour regressing—lots of crying and meltdowns”).

One of the key findings from this study showed that individuals who:

a) got adequate sleep, b) ate healthily, c) limited their “binge-watching” of the news, d) took breaks from work, e) engaged in rejuvenating activities, and f) made efforts to connect with colleagues experienced fewer stress reactions and lower anxiety, and reported higher levels of positive feelings.

Are you experiencing stress or anxiety due to working from home?

The Therapy Centre has skilled Psychologists, Social Workers and Psychotherapists who effectively treat a variety of issues that may arise from the COVID-19 situation including anxiety, stress, fears, health anxiety, issues related to isolation and loneliness, how to manage uncertainty and how to increase ones tolerance for the unknown.

At The Therapy Centre we are now offering Telehealth services including secure phone sessions and videoconferencing.

Our offices are located at 2525 Old Bronte Road in Oakville and 849 Upper Wentworth Street in Hamilton-just minutes from the QEW and easily accessible from Peel Region, Halton Region, Halton Hills, Stoney Creek and Niagara Region.

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