On ‘mental health’ issues concerning isolation:
We’ve been working from home for about (3) weeks now, having Microsoft Team meetings every other day in addition to daily emails and phone calls.
Each person has different environments - a few are isolated single people, others have families with grown kids or babies, some have house mates. Similarly, people live in houses with backyards, on rural properties, in small/large apartments, etc.
So, to keep some type of normality, a few creative people have organised ‘virtual’ Morning and Afternoon Teas, and Lunches i.e. they send an invitation, each person makes a coffee/tea and sits in front of the screen chatting with colleagues for 5-15 minutes, or, does the same at lunch time.
They may take a ‘virtual’ stroll with their phone or laptop to show gardens, meal preparations, pets, whatever.
It’s proving to be a great way to get things off ones chest and just chill with others.
It’s all about perception and coping skills: we did a lot of caving back in the day, if people got claustrophobic in tight tunnels we’d all turn our helmet lights off. In the complete darkness you envisage being in an enormous stadium rather than a shoe box. After a few minutes of relaxing, we’d switch the lights back on and continue on our way.
Like all exercises, more exposure builds strength and flexibility.
It’s all just a mind game.
