Got Remote Work Cabin Fever? 🏠🌡
Tips for helping yourself and teams overcome feeling trapped at home
Amidst the daily barrage of sobering news about the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, it’s understandable to feel fearful about what it all means for our families and our collective future as a society. It can also leave us feeling beleaguered and overwhelmed. There are reports that even those in the virus epicenter in China who are still physically healthy are reporting deteriorating mental health due to quarantine orders. As a leader of your organization or an employee working from home, there are ways you can help your team and yourself maintain emotional health.
Many employers have asked their teams to work from home while the government continues to expand quarantine or shelter-in-place orders. So many people are finding themselves not only working from home for the first time, but doing so with other family members also confined to home, and the additional emotional concerns about the pandemic. It’s not the ideal scenario for trying out remote work for the first time. But, it’s our current reality for now and there are ways we can navigate this situation successfully.
Entering into week two or three of working from home due to quarantine can lead to feelings of cabin fever. Cabin fever is a form of claustrophobia that can lead to irritability or restlessness due to prolonged time in a confined space like your home or a small building. Especially in larger cities with condensed living, where getting out into a park or nature is almost impossible right now, this could be a problem for millions of people around the world. Here are some ideas for overcoming remote work cabin fever:
Determine your human connection needs
As human beings, we are wired for connection. There are levels to this connection. Some people need connection every day in person. Others can go weeks without needing in-person face time. It’s important to understand what level of contact you and your team need. Some teammates are self-motivated and totally fine going long stretches without check-ins. Others may need weekly or daily check-ins. It’s as simple as asking your teammates what they need and then making sure you follow through with the type of communication and connection they need.
Be intentional about connection
In our usual busy lives, we often take for granted relationships and the incidental communication we may have as we pass in a hallway. But in a remote setting, it’s important to be more intentional about connection. It may feel rather direct or awkward to ask how someone is doing emotionally and physically. But these are things we might be able to pick up on person that we can’t do in a virtual setting. So set a goal of intentionally reaching out to teammates; even if it’s just a 15 minutes for some virtual water cooler talk.
Shift your mindset
One of the hardest things to control right now is anxiety. Don’t stress about how long this pandemic will last. Instead, focus on the things you can control: your thoughts and actions. What are some positive things that will result in this current seemingly surreal experience? Is it more time with family at home? Is it refocusing yourself or your business on its core mission? Perhaps start a gratitude journal to remind yourself of all the amazing things (no matter how small) that bring you joy every day. When anxious thoughts encroach, remind yourself that you control your thoughts and consciously choose to shift to empowering beliefs about this experience.
Focus on Giving and Service
One of the quickest ways to pull yourself out of anxiety and depression is to replace focusing on yourself and your circumstances with focusing on others and how to best serve them. Write a nice note to a teammate. Mow your neighbor’s lawn. Sew some face masks. Foster a pet. Send a gift card to someone you know could use it right now. The more you start serving others, it will help you be grateful for your blessings and shift your energy.
Get sunshine, exercise, and fresh air
During this time of quarantines, it can be challenging to get out into nature. But even if you can sit in the sunshine of a window, or work from the balcony of your apartment, or take a walk around the block, it will help you take a break from work and get some much-needed fresh air. Maybe you can work in your garden, or put some plants on your patio. I’ve found it useful when I’m lagging in energy to take a quick break for a walk or focus on something besides work. Then I can refocus on the projects I want to finish that day.
These are just a few of the things you can do to help you overcome cabin fever or feelings of isolation. This Parade columnist also shared her ideas for how to deal with cabin fever. As you develop your own unique ways of overcoming cabin fever, please share them. We’re all in this together and could certainly use the ideas and connection.
I will soon be launching a training series for employers and employees to hone their remote work skills. Stay posted for these exciting and timely new courses!
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