New data reveals a significant uptick in interest for mental health advice among remote workers, with online searches soaring by 60% over the past year. As working from home becomes entrenched in modern life, this spike underscores a pressing need for wellbeing support tailored to those outside traditional office settings.

The research, conducted by travel experts at Choose Leisure, analysed search engine trends for terms such as “work from home health”, “WFH mental health”, “WFH well-being”, and “WFH well-being tips”, alongside 1,446 related keywords. England led the UK with a striking 63% increase in searches in 2024, reflecting heightened awareness of the mental health challenges tied to remote work. Scotland followed with a 36% rise, while Wales and Northern Ireland saw uplifts of 35% and 12%, respectively.

In 2022, England recorded an average of 79,720 monthly searches for these terms. By 2024, that figure had surged to 129,950, a clear indicator of growing concern. Scotland’s searches climbed from 9,690 to 13,220 monthly, Wales from 6,880 to 9,310, and Northern Ireland from 6,090 to 6,800. These statistics, available for further scrutiny upon request, paint a picture of a nation grappling with the psychological toll of remote work.

Dr Hana Patel, an NHS GP and GP medico-legal expert witness, highlighted the dual nature of working from home. “Working remotely, or from home, can have lots of benefits, but it can also be isolating and have a big impact on our mental health,” she said. “Often, it might be difficult to manage boundaries when being out of the office environment.”

Tips for maintaining well-being

• Highlight of the day. Each day, try to find one small thing you can take pride in or appreciate. You might find it helpful to create a list at the start of each day, and tick off everything you’ve done at the end.
• Lunch self-care. Make sure you take at least a 30-minute lunch break and eat in a different room from where you work. If you can, try to get some fresh air and go for a short walk.
• Prep your tech. Set up a “work” and “personal” login for your laptop, so that you can differentiate between the two. You could even use different screensavers and backgrounds to make the difference clear.
• Meeting environment. Distinguish between proper meetings and informal chats with your colleagues. If possible, designate different spaces for formal and informal conversations to help set boundaries.
• Fresh air, fresh mind. Go for a walk as soon as you finish. This can act as a fake “commute”, and make it feel like you’re coming home after the working day has finished.
• Prioritise breaks. It’s easy to work longer hours and take fewer breaks when working remotely. Put a reminder in your diary for when you plan to finish working.

The data aligns with broader findings that 42% of remote workers feel their mental well-being has suffered due to working from home. This sentiment is echoed by Donna Bicker from Choose Leisure, who spearheaded the study. “It’s important for remote workers to understand they are not confined to four walls, their home office or any space you use for daily work,” she said. “Working from home is designed to foster flexibility and improve work-life balance. With mental health concerns on the rise in the UK, finding an ideal workspace, whether at home, in a café, or even travelling in a motorhome, can be essential for improved mental wellbeing and productivity.”