Avoiding Stress While Working from Home

We recently discussed the benefits of working from home on this blog. While there are certain advantages to working remotely, there are some drawbacks that need to be addressed.

Whether you’re in medical coding or another industry, stress and burnout are a risk for anyone working from home. Let’s go over some ways to identify whether you’re overly stressed and what you can do about it.

How to Know if You’re Stressed

So, wait, how do you even know if you’re stressed in the first place? It might be happening without you even realizing it. While all of us have been experiencing higher stress levels lately, here are some signs that you may be reaching or breaking your limit when it comes to stress:

• Unusual body issues, such as headaches, stomachaches and gastrointestinal issues
• Chest pains, a rapid heart rate or high blood pressure
• Frequent colds, infections or other illnesses, despite lack of social interaction
• Mood swings and higher incidence of conflict with others
• Lack of desire to do entertaining, fun or stimulating activity
• An overall sense of tension and being overwhelmed

To learn more about stress symptoms and what to look for, check out this WebMD article.

Ways to Alleviate Stress

What’s the opposite of stress? Relaxation. (Or, comfort if you prefer. Either way, there needs to be an opposing effect on the stress if you want to decrease its presence. Here are a few ways you can alleviate stress if you’re working from home:

• Breathe: Taking a few minutes to focus on getting oxygen to your brain can help you settle down and lower your heart rate. 
• Take breaks: Even if you aren’t focusing on breathing, mixing in breaks while you’re working can do wonders for your stress level. 
• Exercise: A short 15-minutes run or series of cardio or weightlifting moves can get your blood pumping and melt away stress.
• Talk: Vent and get stressful situations off your mind by talking to someone. While the people you’re living with might not be the best listeners, a phone or video call is easy.
• Listen to music: Calming music while you work can make it less stressful. Focus on instrumental or classical tunes.
• Make your work easier: If you’re in medical coding, you might have a hard time finding your codes or referencing materials you need. Consider investing in helpful products like a medical coding book tabbing system or medical coding flashcards.

Another way to alleviate stress? Taking medical coding courses online and not having to worry about whether you’ll pass the exam or not. You can do that with Medical Coding Online.

Editor’s note: This post was originally published in May 2020. It has been updated for clarity, accuracy and new information.