Working from home: staying well

People often say they enjoy

• More control over when and how they work
• More time with family, pets or hobbies
• No daily commute
• Quieter time for deep focus

In one study of a large company, moving to two home days a week cut resignations by a third, with no drop in performance or promotions. The biggest effect was for women, non-managers and people with long commutes.

Less face-to-face contact can mean less support. Some remote workers end up working longer hours or keep working when they are sick, because the laptop is always right there.

Fully remote workers are also more likely to feel lonely during the day than people who work on-site.

Someone who lives alone may feel isolated, while a parent with small children may never get a quiet minute. A person who recharges alone may thrive, while someone who draws energy from people may slowly wilt.

Your preferences can also change over your life. The 2025 survey notes that the “best” setting is simply the one that fits you right now.

Ideas

• Arrive at video calls a minute early and say hello
• Keep a chat channel for non-work things like pets, food or music
• Set up a regular “virtual coffee” with a coworker
• Turn your camera on for some calls, if you feel able

Short, friendly contact is not wasted time. It builds the trust that makes hard work conversations easier later.

Newer employees are among the loneliest workers. Being new and remote can make it hard to learn the unwritten rules or know who to ask.

What can help

• Ask your manager for a “buddy” for your first months
• Book short intro calls with people on your team
• Ask how people prefer to be contacted (chat, email, call)
• Write down questions as they come and ask them in one batch

Ideas

• Plan one in-person thing each week, like a walk with a friend
• Join a class, club, faith group or volunteer team
• Work from a library or café now and then
• Say hello to neighbours on your lunchtime walk

Connecting with others is one of the NHS’s five steps to mental wellbeing.

Signs to watch for

• Days go by without a real conversation
• You feel flat or low by mid-afternoon
• You start avoiding calls you used to enjoy
• You stay in the same clothes and the same room all day

A commute used to give your brain a gap to shift gears. You can recreate that on purpose. A short walk, a change of clothes or making a cup of tea can tell your mind that work is starting or ending.

Ideas for a shutdown ritual

• Close every work tab and app
• Put the laptop in a bag or drawer
• Take a 10-minute walk around the block
• Write tomorrow’s first task on a sticky note

NHS advice suggests switching off work notifications outside working hours and keeping your workspace separate from where you relax, if you can.

Ideas

• Remove work email from your phone, or pause it after hours
• Set a status like “Offline until 9am”
• Agree with your team what counts as urgent and how to reach you if it is

If you work where you also sleep or relax, your brain may start linking those places with work. Even in a small home, a dedicated corner, a different chair, or packing work away at night helps draw a line.

Some remote workers keep working when they are sick because it feels easy to “just check in”. Rest helps you recover faster, and you are allowed to take it.

Ideas

• Raise your screen to eye level with books or a box
• Use a separate keyboard and mouse with a laptop if you can
• Keep your feet flat on the floor or a footrest
• Sit near a window for natural light

Ask your employer whether they help with home office equipment. Some do, and it is worth asking.

Ideas

• Stand up and stretch every hour
• Take some calls standing or walking
• Take a real lunch break away from the screen
• Get outside in daylight at least once a day

A 2022 review found that short “micro-breaks” of 10 minutes or less gave a small but real boost to energy and lowered tiredness.

At home, some people graze all day while others forget to eat until 4pm. Setting regular times for meals and water can steady your energy and mood.

Having set start and finish times is one of the most common tips for remote workers. It protects your rest and makes your day feel more predictable.

Try

• Get dressed for the day, even if casually
• Plan your top three tasks the night before
• Block focus time in your calendar like a meeting

Research shows people almost always take longer and make more mistakes when switching between tasks than when sticking with one.

Try closing chat for 45 minutes while you work on one task, then check messages in a batch.

Researchers suggest that constant close-up eye contact and staring at your own face on screen can add to video-call fatigue.

Ideas

• Hide your self-view
• Make some calls audio-only
• Leave five minutes between meetings
• Ask if a meeting could be a message instead

Everyone has slow days. But if you feel flat, tired and detached from work for weeks, it may be more than a slump. Burnout and low mood can both sap motivation.

Use them to

• Ask what “good work” looks like for your role
• Share what you finished and what’s blocking you
• Talk about the skills you want to build
• Ask for feedback early, not just at review time

Write down what you did and the difference it made, once a week. It helps you speak up for yourself, and it is a good reminder on hard days that you are doing more than you think.

Replying instantly at all hours is not the same as doing good work, and it can cost you sleep and energy.

Share your working hours clearly and keep to them. Clear, reliable updates usually show commitment far better than late-night replies.

Ideas

• Save focus work for nap time, school hours or early mornings
• Use a simple signal, like a sign on the door, for “Important call”
• Talk with your manager about flexible hours if you need them
• Take turns with a partner or friend for cover on busy days

If you care for a parent, partner or relative, being home may mean you are “on call” all day. Talk openly with your employer about what you need. Some caregivers have rights to job-protected leave.

Ideas

• Share your schedule of important calls
• Agree quiet hours together
• Use headphones to create a bubble of focus
• Ask your employer about a coworking space if home doesn’t work

Telework can help with

• Commuting difficulties
• Needing privacy for health needs
• Rigid schedules
• Things in the office that trigger symptoms

You can ask for working from home, or other changes, as an accommodation. The Job Accommodation Network (JAN) gives free, confidential advice at askjan.org or 1-800-526-7234.

If you live with anxiety or low mood, staying in can sometimes shrink your world. Avoiding calls, skipping contact or staying in one room all day can quietly make things harder.

Gentle checks

• Have I left the house today?
• Have I had a real conversation today?
• Am I avoiding something that used to be fine?

In the U.S., employers must keep medical information they learn about you confidential. You usually only need to share enough to explain why you need a change.

Ideas teams use

• A weekly “wins and wobbles” check-in
• Shared playlists or photo threads
• Optional virtual lunch or coffee
• Celebrating birthdays and milestones

Some people focus better with others nearby. Libraries, cafés and coworking spaces offer company without meetings. Others work on a video call with a friend, each doing their own tasks.

Many employers have employee resource groups, for example for parents, caregivers, veterans, disabled staff or mental health allies. Remote staff can often join online.

Volunteering, local groups and faith communities can offer the face-to-face contact a home office lacks. Giving to others is another of the NHS’s five steps to mental wellbeing.