Zoe Hunter: How working from home is encroaching into my mental health

We can gain so much reward from our daily jobs but there's more to life than work, Zoe Hunter writes. Photo / Getty Images

COMMENT:

Boxing, running, dancing, yoga, and enjoying a nice glass of wine.

Those are just some of the ways I like to switch off from the stress of the newsroom.

Many in the Bay's workforce have spent the two years learning how to work from home — some are still in the home office.

For me, it's been hard to pull myself away from my computer and log off when my shift has ended.

I struggle to switch my brain from work life to home life while working from home. It is just so easy to answer that phone call after hours or fire off one last email when your computer is right there.

I catch myself still typing away until well past dinner time some nights.

But I am slowly learning to resist the urge not to work overtime because it is better for my mental health.

This week, NZME asked business leaders for their top tips for mental health and wellbeing while dealing with the challenges presented by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Tauranga City Council chief executive Marty Grenfell likes doing odd jobs around his orchard to wind down, while Bay of Plenty District Health Board chief executive Pete Chandler says using the chainsaw and a spot of DIY work is a great way to de-stress.

Rotorua Lakes Council mayor Steve Chadwick likes to listen to music or relax with a book, while Rotorua Chamber of Commerce chief executive Bryce Heard says working on his farm is his way of letting off some steam.

Even some of the top business people see value in taking time away from the office.

I agree with Chandler, who says sometimes we can be our own worst enemy when it comes to ignoring the impact of workload pressures.

This week, most vaccine mandates and pass requirements have been lifted. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern also announced that the country will continue to stay in the Covid-19 red setting.

Case numbers keep rising, and so does the cost of living.

Personally, my year so far has been spent planning a wedding, trying to buy and sell a house, working full-time and battling fatigue after catching Covid-19.

It is a stressful time. That's why it is more important than ever to keep an eye on our mental health and do things we enjoy doing.

We can gain so much reward from our daily jobs. But there is more to life than work - and quality time out from work means we can ultimately be better at our jobs.