Covid-19 brings with it a series of psychological consequences due to the situation of confinement, confusion and change.
This is a reality to which some were already accustomed, and which has caught many others off guard, who were not psychologically or technologically prepared for such a situation. Thus, the need to telework while confinement lasts has been a major source of stress for thousands of people.
For this reason, psychology is working to help adapt to the new work scenarios that people find themselves in during these times of confinement.
Sources of stress and anxiety when teleworking during confinement
In order to adopt measures to deal with this kind of psychological problems, it is necessary to know what aspects of teleworking are capable of generating stress and anxiety in a situation like the current one, marked by the state of alarm.
These sources of discomfort are mainly the following.
1. The breaking of habits
The simple fact of radically changing habits can be a stress trigger , especially among those who used to appreciate the social life they had in their usual work space. The fact that working in front of the computer is hardly distinguished from the time dedicated to leisure (also in front of a screen, in many cases) turns reality into something more monotonous, capable of “burning out” workers both emotionally and physically (discomfort in the eyes, on the back, etc.).
2. The new challenges of living with the family
It must be borne in mind that the need to telework does not occur in a vacuum: it comes hand in hand with a context in which, among other things, the rest of the people can hardly go out on the street, and children do not They go to school. In other words, for many people, they have to get used to being surrounded by people at home at all times, including minors who have to be taken care of 24 hours a day.
Combining the family with the professional can be very complicated in some cases , especially if you have several small children.
3. Time disorganization
As the border between professional life and working life is blurred, it is easier to leave certain responsibilities “for another time” and, ultimately, let improvisation reign over the way we work. This is an error that inevitably leads to moments in which our work accumulates, which leads to other problems: irritability, a tendency to work poorly, a tendency to take time away from sleep, etc.
4. The situation of ambiguity in the face of the economic crisis
All this occurs in a situation in which many people see their jobs in danger. This, which in itself generates anxiety in thousands of people, is lived from home, a place where there is no access to decision-making centers and it is easy for paranoia to spread by depending on rumors spread by messages and video calls.
5. An unhealthy body is more prone to anxiety
The combination of bad habits and the impact they generate on the body makes us more vulnerable to stress and anxiety.
When the body is weak due to malnutrition, lack of sleep and/or lack of physical activity, it begins to use its resources inefficiently, and this wears us down psychologically : difficulty concentrating, low mood, lack of energy, headaches , etc. Being less equipped to work, a vicious circle of physical discomfort and discomfort from the stress of seeing ourselves in difficulties to meet objectives while dealing with those sensations is generated.
6. Inexperience and lack of resources
Finally, we must not forget that not everyone has to know how to telework, or have the means to be able to do so from day one. Teleworking is, in this case, an imposed necessity, not a strategy adopted from planning. Therefore, it should not be forgotten that the need does not usually translate into knowledge obtained automatically.
If for many people the usual responsibilities were already full of challenges, now we must add to this the complexity of carrying out tasks designed to be executed in another workspace .
Are you looking for help to manage the psychological discomfort caused by teleworking?
If you are interested in having online psychological assistance to better deal with everything that teleworking entails during confinement, I invite you to contact me.
I am a consultant psychologist specialized in the cognitive-behavioral intervention model and I also work in the field of organizations. You can count on me to give you psychological support and guides to help you quickly adapt to this new reality.
Bibliographic references
- Cano, A. (2002). The Nature of Stress. IV international congress of the Spanish Society for the study of Anxiety and Stress. Madrid: SEAS.
- Huther, Gerald (2012). Biology of fear. Stress and feelings. Barcelona: Editorial Platform.
- Nestadt, G.; Samuels, J.; Riddle, M.A.; Liang, K.I. et.al. (2001). The relationship between obsessive–compulsive disorder and anxiety and affective disorders: results from the Johns Hopkins OCD Family Study. Psychological Medicine 31.
- Öhman A (2000). Fear and anxiety: Evolutionary, cognitive, and clinical perspectives. En Lewis M, Haviland-Jones JM (eds.). Handbook of emotions. New York: The Guilford Press. pp. 573 – 593.
- Wulf Saur. (2012). Illnesses associated with the workplace. Biomedical Therapy, 5(1): p. 4 – 13.
To the classic question “what do you do?” I always answer “basically I am a psychologist”. In fact, my academic training has revolved around the psychology of development, education and community, a field of study influenced my volunteer activities, as well as my first work experiences in personal services.