How is quarantine affecting employees? Not well. According to a Paycor report, most employees are struggling with things like burnout and anxiety. It’s difficult to deal with work or focus entirely on your job when you are battling external concerns like a worldwide pandemic and the safety of your friends and family. Many employers and employees have admitted that their mental health is not at its best right now. Here’s what people are reporting:
• 75% are more socially isolated
• 67% report higher stress
• 57% are feeling greater anxiety
• 53% are more emotionally exhausted
• 70% feel more stressed than at any other point in their professional career
• 62% reported losing at least one hour a day in productivity due to COVID
• Working from home: 91% of employees have experienced moderate to extreme stress
So, how can you combat these issues when everything around you feels unstable and uncertain? Having strong leadership, quality self-care tactics, and great resources is important. Here’s some other things you can do to take care of yourself during this time:
- If you can, make sure you are exercising or doing some form of body movement each day. Even if it’s just chair stretches or going for a walk, moving your body can really help your mental AND physical health.
- Ask your team to have virtual team bonding meetings at least once or twice a month (ideally once a week) so you can get some of that friendly atmosphere you would normally get at the water cooler in the office.
- Plan a staycation at your house or somewhere socially distanced in your state. This will allow you the “brain reset” of a real vacation while still keeping you safe and unlikely to spread or contract the virus.
- Don’t be afraid to take a mental health day (or two)! If you are really finding it hard to concentrate or work, take a day or two to be kind to yourself and give your mind a break. A good company will be appreciative of this because good employers don’t want their employees to burn out. If you work somewhere where time off is frowned upon, perhaps consider getting in touch with Advanced Hires and seeing what other options are out there for you.