Working together, in close proximity, we were able to pick up on changes in mood and share our joys and misfortunes.

Photo: Pixabay

Lockdown blues: Here’s what to do if you spot the danger signs

Lockdown blues, the detrimental effects that COVID-19 has had on mental and physical health need to be addressed by businesses. Here’s how.

Working together, in close proximity, we were able to pick up on changes in mood and share our joys and misfortunes.

Photo: Pixabay

There are endless stories circulating of the detrimental effects that COVID-19 has had on our mental, as well as physical health. It’s known as the lockdown blues. Nowhere is this more apparent than if you have been required to work from home.

It is significant how our pre-COVID workplaces accommodated support from our work colleagues. Working together, in close proximity, we were able to pick up on changes in mood and share our joys and misfortunes. Not so if you are working from home.

Lockdown blues danger signs:

  • Try as you may, you cannot clear your Inbox.
  • A reluctance to pick up the phone.
  • Constant tiredness.
  • Falling behind – an ever-expanding to-do list.
  • Feelings of isolation.

Managers need to factor these effects of lockdown blues into their staff support processes.

Some ideas to consider:

  • Have regular Zoom calls for the team to share their wins and losses and support each other if COVID-19 blues are in evidence.
  • Encourage a strict delineation between working and private time; workers need to feel that when they close their laptop they are home.
  • Take regular breaks.
  • Encourage staff at home to call for support if they have work related problems.

Hopefully, the vaccination programme will add longevity to the easing of lockdown restrictions, and we can look forward to normalising our working routines. But in the meantime, be watchful for lockdown blues.

READ: Avoid the lockdown blues by trying these fun garden activities

Article supplied by www.exceedca.com who offer specialised, integrated, tax, financial and fiduciary services for companies both in the UK and South Africa, plus a range of business and accountancy advice. Discover more