Is working from home good for our health and wellbeing?

At first it felt a little like a holiday: want to watch an episode of Breaking Bad on your lunch break? Go ahead! Don’t feel like putting on a suit? Perfect! You can even work from bed (as long as you get up for the Zoom call with your boss).

It didn’t take long for working from home to feel more like, well work. But for some, ditching the lengthy commute and working more efficiently or to a more flexible timetable has bought real health benefits — allowing for pre-work meditation, lunchtime runs or garden workouts — that they are keen to preserve for the longer term.

Working from home has had dramatic health benefits for Sarah Davidson, 43, who has type 1 diabetes. She doesn’t plan to go back into the office to do her fundraising job until Christmas — at the earliest. “I’ve been able to eat properly, sleep properly and spend mealtimes with my children,” she says. “My ‘working mum guilt’ is much less. I’m not doing my three-mile daily walk to work, but we’re cycling loads, as a family.”

For Gemma Walmsley, 39, who works in PR, lockdown also proved an opportunity to incorporate family into her fitness. “I was worried how I’d be able to fit in my daily runs with nobody to look after the kids,” she says. “I finally convinced my daughter to take her stabilisers off her bike, and off we went, every day, along the local tow paths with me running beside the children.

“I’m still working from home for the time being, while they conduct a staff poll to see how people feel about returning, so I’ve kept up that routine. “I used to go to the gym a couple of times a week on top of two or three runs, but I’ve substituted the gym with more running.”

Recently, some staff have been returning to the office for some or all of the week, prompting the question of whether we’ll be able to hold onto our healthier routines in the long term. We need to start by making time for them says consultant clinical psychologist Emma Citron. “Many of my clients tell me how much they’ve benefited from doing online yoga or Pilates for an hour, before starting work at 9am,” she says. “This used to be commuting time, and very stressful for people juggling taking children to school in a rush.”

Citron says that those who have seen positive changes — including better equality of childcare between partners, and better division between the work and home life balance — now need to discuss with partners or co-parents how to maintain it, as we plan for a return to the office.

“Communicate what you’ve found works for you, and your wishes to keep it that way — and try to come to an active compromise if they have a different vision,” she says. Citron also suggests telling your manager how highly you value a flexible approach to working if you’ve found it really works for you — suggesting a split between the office and WFH or flexible start times on your office days.

But while some will be trying to negotiate fewer days in the office with an eye on their long-term health, for others losing the routine of an active commute or a structured day has had a negative impact on their well-being.

Matthew, 42, a manager at a hedge fund, has been working from home, full-time, since March. His office was due to reopen this month, but he is unlikely to return until next year as his wife works for the NHS and is in direct contact with Covid patients.

Adapting to working from his living space has been a double-edged sword. “I love the lack of commute and I get so much more work done at home,” he says. “I have more energy as I sleep more, I’ve got massively back into doing weights, am cooking some great meals and am generally less grumpy.”

But while he’s noticed physical benefits, the emotional impact of being away from the office has also been significant. “I’m the only person who does my job — so it’s quite siloed even when I’m in the office. When my wife works a 12-hour shift, I can spend an entire day not speaking to another human being, and I find that really tough.”

Kath Williams, 39, a journalist, echoes that rollercoaster experience of lockdown. She had just bought her first property and was struggling with a longer commute, when her office closed. But she surprised herself by missing it. “As lockdown went on and the commute changed from bed-to-desk, I came to realise the benefits of what I had before: fresh air, movement, exercise and time to get your head in the game before eight and a half hours in the office.”

Some people like Sarah, 42, a specialist prosecutor, have struggled to find well-being benefits in changed work patterns. “I miss walking to the station, and sadly haven’t replaced it with other exercise,” she says. “I miss office interaction with my colleagues — MS Teams isn’t a direct replacement, as it’s rarely spontaneous.”

Working from home has left her feeling isolated and with anxiety levels she describes as being through the roof.

She doesn’t yet know when she’ll be able to go back to the office and her preferred style of working. But like many who have found that long-term WFH isn’t necessarily good for their well-being, when she does return, getting back to the commute will feel good.

Whether in the office or at home, a good work-life balance is healthy. Here’s how to find your balance.

Establish routine

“Establishing a structured daily routine is key,” says Brendan Street, psychotherapist and head of emotional well-being at healthcare charity Nuffield Health.

“Decide your working hours and stick to them. At the end of the day, switch off your computer, mute alerts and tidy away papers to maintain clear work hours and balance professional and personal time.”

Put down the phone

“It’s tempting to sleep with our phones charging and check them first-thing,” says coach and Motherkind platform and podcast founder, Zoe Blaskey.

“But starting the day stressed or distracted makes it harder to focus.

Switch mindsets

“Without a commute to decompress, we rush from that last Zoom back into family life,” notes Blaskey.

“But the mindset needed at work is very different to parenting — so take five to 10 minutes at the end of the day to reconnect with your ‘playful, present and fun’ mindset.”

Accept a lack of control

“Try to accept that you aren’t able to control everything, and focus on the things that you can change instead,” advises Street.

“You may find that other members of your team feel the same. Schedule regular virtual catch-ups to connect even though you’re not in the office.”

Take a break

Consider the Pomodoro Method, which helps with focus and productivity. Work on a set task with no distractions for 25 minutes, then take a five-minute break.

Once you’ve done four of these you take a 20 minute break.

Get it off your chest

From flatmates to families — many of us are now living and working in one space. “An effective way to keep things harmonious is by having a ‘daily check-in’ to discuss issues,” Blaskey suggests.

“Just 10 minutes at the end of every day can have a huge impact.”

Be accountable

It can be easy to have good intentions, but see your working hours expand, Blaskey warns.

“You could ask someone to help you stay accountable, or even sign up to an app like stickK.com, that helps you set a goal and stay on track.”