Working From Home: How to Avoid Cabin Fever

Whether you enjoy it or not, working from home can become increasingly challenging over time. Staying in the same place all day long for weeks on end would get on anyone’s nerves. Combine that with not being able to spend time in most public places because of the pandemic, and you’ve got the recipe for textbook cabin fever. Working from home has its perks, to be sure, but it can start to grate on you if you never leave your place. That’s why we’re going to show you how to avoid cabin fever when working from home.

Create a Plan for the Day

The worst feelings of cabin fever come during slow periods in our workday. The monotony can start to set in and bring your mood down. Creating a plan for your day means knowing what you’re going to do every step of the way. Have a plan for that downtime, or you’ll really start to notice the cabin fever set in. A properly planned day can keep your mind busy and reduce those uncomfortable feelings of isolation.

Find Your Escape

Everyone needs a way to escape the rigors of a workday. What’s so great about working from home is that you can take a break from the doldrums in whatever way you want. Maybe you leave this world for a while and enter an immersive video game world. You could escape into a good book that really captures you or lose yourself in an exercise routine. Whatever it is, make sure it’s not an activity that leaves your brain sedentary, like watching television, as such distractions can make the days feel dreary and pointless.

Soak up the Sun

No matter how much of an indoor person you might be, the outside world still has a lot to offer. Getting a little bit of natural sunlight can do you a lot of good. Being out in the sun raises your vitamin D levels, which can help boost your mood. It also improves the quality of your sleep, another factor in our lives that we tend to push to the side when we work from home.

Start Being More Mindful

It’s easy to lose yourself in your work and become less in tune with yourself. If you want to avoid cabin fever when working from home, practicing mindfulness will help you become more present or in the moment. A classic exercise of mindfulness is to look around and mentally list everything you are experiencing with your five senses. This technique will help you focus on being in the present rather than worrying about the past or future. Doing this can relieve feelings of anxiety and cabin fever.