Smart working has become increasingly widespread in recent years. However, although working remotely is a dream for many, it can still lead to high levels of stress.

One of the main factors is the lack of boundaries between personal life and professional life—like when your boss sends you an email at 2 a.m. and you are ready to reply!

This does not mean that we have found our scapegoat, but it is certainly more difficult to completely disconnect from work in the absence of a distinct physical workplace. This can lead not only to high levels of stress, but also to the feeling of having to be constantly available.

If we add to this the lack of social interactions and the difficulty of separating family responsibilities, then stress will show you no mercy!

Well, in reality, there are several possible solutions. First of all, it is essential that companies understand and take into account the challenges of smart working, offering psychological support where possible, but above all establishing clear guidelines for managing remote work. “If I have a balanced lifestyle, my employee will also be balanced.”

No, this is not nonsense. Here we could introduce John Bowlby’s attachment theory, according to which individuals, in the early years of life, develop different attachment styles with their caregivers, including “secure,” “insecure-avoidant,” and “insecure-anxious.” An individual with an insecure attachment experience, for example, might develop a similar insecurity in workplace relationships, becoming attracted to—or choosing to remain in—unbalanced work environments.

Although it may seem paradoxical, people who are drawn to dysfunctional environments are often driven by a need for validation and affection and, just as in primary relationships, constantly live under the illusion that they can receive these in an environment where they will probably never obtain them.

This is to say that if my company is “healthy and balanced,” I will not only attract balanced workers, but I will also have the opportunity to promote a lifestyle that allows well-being to be preserved—even while working comfortably from home.

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But what are the main sources of stress in smart working in detail? Here are some of them:

Social isolation and lack of face-to-face interaction with colleagues and especially with supervisors.

Difficulty setting boundaries between work and private life.

Communication and coordination problems due to the absence of direct interactions.

Feeling of being constantly connected and available.

Pressure to demonstrate productivity.

Fear of missing opportunities or being penalized because of the lack of physical presence.

Technical issues related to IT infrastructure and internet connectivity.

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