LETTERS: The reimposition of the Conditional Movement Control Order means the continuation of people working from home.
Many regard working from home as a goal for work-life balance, but those who work from home may face higher levels of stress as they face challenges that are unique.Some of these problems are:
LACK of structure. People may feel that there's a lack of boundaries on when they start working and stop. This can morph into a feeling of being out of control;
TOO many distractions. A main distraction is to prepare food for family members who also work from home. With the closure of schools, there is also time needed to manage the family, especially children. This will create extra stress;
DIFFICULTY setting boundaries. It's difficult for workers to create a structure and schedule to ensure that they do not cross the line between managing the family and performing their jobs; and, SOCIAL isolation. It is easy to focus when there are no colleagues who approach you to chat. But we can feel lonely without interactions.
Social media can feel like a lifeline to others, but this type of non-interaction can feel like isolation as well.
Thus, while working from home can provide a sense of freedom and flexibility, there are pitfalls that people need to be aware of.
DR MOHD RAMZI MOHD HUSSAIN
Department of Landscape Architecture, Kulliyyah of Architecture and Environmental Design, International Islamic University Malaysia
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times