Many people must have realised, the reality is quite different. Working from home can be quite a challenge.

If you're working from home, mastering one metal skill will keep you happy.

SELF-CONTROL

Working from home can require considerable self-control. Why?

Research in occupational health psychology suggests one important answer which is all about self-control – The ability to suppress intruding thoughts, behaviours, and emotions which are not relevant or helpful for achieving a goal. It's all about "PSYCHOLOGICAL DETACHMENT."

A key element of replenishing vital mental energy, and reducing the negative effects of self-control is what we call psychological detachment.

Enhance mental health and well-being when working from home:

• Set up a dedicated workspace, which should be as free from distractions as possible.
• Develop a schedule, which includes phases of focused work as well as breaks.
• If possible, divide and share times dedicated to child and pet care.
• Organize your email communication and reserve dedicated times for responding to emails.
• Try to establish simple routines that don’t require any self-control, such as a coffee break or starting your working day with an easy routine task.
• Set up dedicated times for work and leisure – and stick to these times.
• Refrain from setting impromptu goals (such as, “I will stop working once I finish this task”) as deadlines for finishing work.
• If possible, work in a different room than the one you spend your leisure time in. Particularly avoid working in your bedroom as it may remind you of work-related issues, preventing detachment when you go to sleep. (If you don’t have the option of a different room, then try to tidy away everything that may remind you of work.)
• Refrain from all forms of work-related communication during non-work time.
• Engage in absorbing activities, which capture your full attention after work. Good examples include exercise, cooking, mindfulness meditation, or focused playing with your children or pets.
• Generally, self-control is crucial for adapting to changes in our environment. In light of the considerable requirements now in place for self-control during the lockdown.