'Workations' can help with one's mental health, psychologist says

The pandemic has a lot of people working remotely. While working from home is the most popular setup, more and more employees are turning to 'workation' or working from vacation. 

Before HR departments start reacting, psychologist Dr. Randy Dellosa said it's not such a bad thing. Workations, he said, can actually help with mental health and coping from stress.

"Dahil nasa vacation place tayo, habang nagta-trabaho pwede tayo mag-take ng breaks during our work time para makapag-enjoy at relax, then we can go back to our work feeling more relax, feeling more refreshed, more motivated, more productive, more creative," Dr. Dellosa said in a Pinoy MD episode.

BPO Company Operations manager Joanne Castillo who has been staying by the beach while working said her time was stretched and she became more productive before, during, and after her graveyard shift.

"So nagagawa ko pa yung ibang activities na gusto kong gawin. After work at 5am, lakad lang ako sa beach," she said.

"Sometimes I meditate or gusto ko rin maligo sa beach, yan maliligo na ako sakto and afterwards 'yan na matutulog na ako," she added.

Dr. Delloso said working from beach actually has good effects for one's mental health. Long hours working on a computer and staring at a screen can bring out health problems like migraines, tension headaches, stress, and back pain.

But with a relaxing view of the beach, "nakaka-relax iyong far vision natin. Iyong pagiging far sighted natin ay nakakatulong sa pag-relax. Nakakatingin tayo sa malayo. And then dahil nare-relax ang mata natin, nare-relax din ang katawan natin," he added.

Meanwhile Mariesdolor Minor who is an orthotist and prosthetist post-grad intern has been working from the mountains, after his family decided to extend their staycation in a rest house in Calawis, Antipolo.

The setting has them close to nature — there is a waterfalls near their place they can trek to — which helps in coping with stress, Dr. Delloso said.   

"So when we go out in nature, nakakapag-relax dahil alam naman natin yung green ng leaves and malalawak na lugar, and pwede naman tayong mag take ng break na maglakad sa may mga puno, sa grass ay nakaka-relax."

So next time you feel like you're burning out, consider working from elsewhere.  It's not such a difficult thing, to do. And with resorts and hotels in Boracay and Palawan offering work staycation packages, it's not too expensive, too.