The Stress and Anxiety of Remote Work is Beginning to Affect the Mental Health of Americans

When the pandemic first began in March of 2020, millions of Americans were forced to quarantine themselves inside with their families. Many people became unemployed, but thousands of others were forced to make home their new office space.

In May of 2020, 48.7 million Americans reported working from home in the recent months following the Coronavirus pandemic according to the National Council on Compensation Insurance. Of this number, fewer than 6% of Americans had done remote work prior to the pandemic. When the pandemic first began, thousands of people were forced to stay home and navigate work through their home computers. Americans were forced to find a work-home balance during their new normal.

It has now been almost two years since the global pandemic was set, many people report that working from home has improved their mental health, while thousands of others have reported that working from home has negatively affected their mental health according to Census.gov. There are a series of circumstances in which Americans live under, many of which live alone, have kids, live with extended family, single parents, and many more. According to a Household Pulse Survey conducted by the Census Bureau, 38.8% of households with children reported feeling anxious and 29.7% reported being depressed during the pandemic. No matter the circumstance, home has become their home office, so essentially there is no way to escape from work when it is housed in many Americans living room.

In an article by USA Today, many Americans working from home during the pandemic expressed an extreme lack of support from the company they work for. “Another survey by TELUS International conducted in October found that three quarters of workers have struggled with anxiety and stress at work during the pandemic, and 80% would consider leaving their current company for another that focuses more heavily on mental health support.”

Americans reported an extreme lack of support and acknowledgment of their mental health from the company they worked for drove them to depression. Many Americans became stay at home parents, homeschool teachers, and unemployed at the same time. For some, this was more than they signed up for.

Now that many Americans have had a year of experience to adjust and find a rhythm that works, some say they would prefer a more flex schedule. A flex schedule would include 3 days in office, and two days working from home.

Business Insider reported that 45% of working Americans were feeling burnout by April of 2020 due to a heavy workload while 35% of working Americans reported that they were able to establish a healthy work-life balance.

The American Psychiatric Association curated a list to help people support their mental health and well-being during the pandemic:

• 7:00 a.m. - Wake up, stretch, take care of kids/animals

• 7:30 a.m. - Breakfast and family time (technology free!)

• 8:30 a.m. - Work and check on updates with small breaks every 30 minutes or so

• 12:00 p.m. - Lunch break, get fresh air, stretch & exercise

• 1:00 p.m. - Work with breaks every 30 minutes, check in with co-workers

• 5:00 p.m. - Dinner and screen break! Call a friend, family, or loved one

• 7:00 p.m. - Self-care time

There is no 50/50 balance between Americans that enjoy work from home compared to those that are struggling to get by with remote work. Employers should take time to implement mental health practices to ensure those working fully remote are getting the breaks they need and are taking care of themselves mentally and physically. According to Forbes, by 2025 70% of the workforce will be working remotely five days a week. As far as more 2021 news, over two thirds of companies plan to permanently shift employees to remote work following the end of the coronavirus pandemic.