My impression of friends who now have nearly a full year of remote work under their belt. “I’m so stir-crazy and can’t wait to get back to the office! If I have one more Zoom call, I’m going to scream! Why do we need so many meetings? How is my house messier now than when I worked 50 hours per week at the office? The pantry is empty again!?” 

The number of people working remotely has skyrocketed since January 2020, with approximately half the U.S. labor force working from home in the early days of the pandemic, according to a working paper from the National Bureau of Economic Research.

The study also estimates that up to 30% of former office workers are projected to work permanently at home post-pandemic. 

And while this may have seemed like a perk at first, many Americans are finding that working from home may take more discipline — both physically and mentally — than they first expected.

Many of the challenges I’m hearing are similar. Read on for some tips to overcome them and get back to a happier work life.

Challenge: It’s a status thing. Working from home can make you feel stuck. At the office, you have things like nameplates and your own personal space. Without these things, you may not feel as if you’re achieving as much as your peers.

How to overcome this: Realize that everyone is in the same boat. We’re all still trying to figure out how to maximize our time and energy while working from home. 

Set up more one-on-one time with your boss if you’d like validation for your performance. Better communications never hurts, so take the initiative to improve your confidence.

Challenge: I feel disconnected. Some of my friends have shared that they feel lonely when working from home. I tell them to come over and hang out with my three daughters running around the house. It would be a win-win for us all! 

How to overcome this: All joking aside, push yourself to remain as social as possible. This is difficult given the pandemic, but finding time for friends and family members is critical to your mental health.

Set aside time for more FaceTime calls with your nearest and dearest. Join an online community or book club where you can share common interests. Sign up for a virtual class that helps sharpen your skills while also bringing you back in contact with people on a regular basis.

Challenge: My physical health is declining. It can also be hard to find a good exercise routine when working from home. Meetings stack up, bosses have less respect for your personal time and you find yourself chained to your desk. And we all know our physical health is directly tied to how we feel mentally.

How to overcome this: One of my favorite colleagues this week told me, “Sometimes I just need to take a walk.” She pointed to research that proved when people spent more time in nature, they were happier, less anxious and more relaxed. 

Work with your spouse or employer to carve out some “me time.” Bundle up and take the dog on a walk in the morning. Invest in some exercise equipment — even a few small dumbbells will work — and devote the first 20 minutes after work to exercising away the stress.

If you can make time for other things, you can do the same for your overall well-being.