What Is Stressful About Working at Home

When working from home, you may feel a true lack of structure. You may struggle with getting your day going, officially ending your day, and taking time for yourself for breaks and lunch. This can throw off your work-life balance.

When working from home, you may experience distractions and interruptions throughout your day. Some distractions may include:

• Receiving deliveries
• Getting non-work related calls and texts
• Spending time on social media
• Watching television
• Caring for pets
• Dealing with neighborhood sounds (gardeners, trash trucks, etc.)

At home, you have creature comforts that can be tempting to indulge in. For instance, if you have a discouraging interaction with a client or management in an office setting, you just have to roll with it and get on with your workday. If you work from home, you can actually withdraw and play video games until you feel better.

When working from home, you may experience challenges setting boundaries with people who forget that working from home is still working. Family members, friends, and neighbors may ask you for help or engage with them during your working hours. You may even experience some frustration on their end if you note that you are unavailable.

Those who work at home may find that solitude can be a double-edged sword. Research suggests that social isolation can impact motivation in the workplace. This means that it can be beneficial to have social interaction during the workday, especially in high-intensity work situations where productivity trends downward the more isolated an individual is.

When working from home, you may find yourself getting less exercise than you would in an office setting. Lack of exercise can impact your sleep quality and overall mental health. If you're less active during the day, you might not be as tired at night. You may have trouble sleeping, and your work may suffer the next day.