Struggling Remotely: How I coped (and sometimes didn’t) with my mental health while working in Tech
It’s Mental Health Awareness Month 2025. Technology – and necessity – has made remote learning a viable education experience for people of all ages – and it’s made working from home a lot easier. But it also has its challenges. Ashwin, iMeta’s Content Producer, and a 20-year marketing veteran, writes.
The start of Mental Health Awareness Month is the opportunity for iMeta to come together as a community, to sincerely address real issues that face our learners and grads. As someone who’s worked in tech and marketing for nearly twenty years, I’ve gone through situations similar to many of you have experienced. Sometimes I overcame – sometimes I didn’t. But I’m still here.
Oftentimes when organisations talk about mental health, it’s in a very distanced manner, sometimes a bit disconnected.
I wanted to share my personal stories, to give a bit of context – and hopefully spark some empathy in you – dear reader – so you’re motivated to look out for yourself, and others.
Isolation
“I feel disconnected from others – I haven’t had a proper conversation in days.”
This is the most common feeling that remote learners and folks who work from home get – and it’s something that we’ve all had recent experience of. The Pandemic had us locked up, and separated from each other. Humans didn’t evolve like that – we’re not meant to exist in isolation.
During Covid, my career suffered. Not being in an office; not being in the same room as my colleagues, turning over creative ideas; chance conversations at the coffee pot – all of those were gone. Over the months, my mood dropped. I found myself becoming more anxious, and argumentative. For years after, I worked as a solo consultant and marketing director, and despite having a great home office, I still didn’t have people around me. And I suffered. Living alone in a big city (London, for me) can also be a little isolating, and it really took until I moved back to Birmingham, reconnected with old friends and new career prospects that I started improving.
What I did
Regular hangs with the crew For me, Thursday night was whatsapp catchup time with the lads. A regular, consistent check-in with people that understand you, that doesn’t have to be deep – just regular!
IRL Meetups You need a community. Being in tech and working from home/remotely means its’ hard to link up with new colleagues. We are physically present creatures, after all. In tech, you need to find your tribe – and you can find them at trade shows, the fringe at professional networking events, or sector meetups. For me, it was trade shows and conferences that reconnected me to other people – and also this next thing…
Creative Community Classes Tech and IT is nothing without creativity. And creativity is something that should be practiced in community. Group art classes, dance classes – anything and everything expressive that connects your mind, to your body, to the world outside. I found capoeira, an Afro-Brazilian martial arts game which involves a lot of movement, singing (and exercise) as my antidote.
Burnout
“I’m always online, always trying to catch up – and I’m exhausted.”
In remote learning, boundaries blur. You might feel like you should always be studying, especially in IT where there’s an endless list of skills to learn. And when you are WFH – you might feel like you always need to be working. My work-from-home ‘office’ was right next to where I slept, and ate dinner. I would have work calls at 11PM. I’d work on creative until 2AM. I’d work through lunch. I was always online, reading notifications from the social media accounts I was working. But constant pressure leads to mental fatigue, loss of focus, and physical exhaustion.
Folks with a neurodivergence might find it completely natural to hyperfocus on tasks and not physically feel it. But the body always keeps score. I’ve not completely beaten burnout – but I’m getting there:
What can help:
Set Your Boundaries Set a cut-off time every evening – no coursework, no work, no emails. Rest is productive – and in some cases, revolutionary. Your family needs you. You need you. You’re not just a mindless tool for your boss.
Create real, screen-free breaks Take walks, do stretches, or step outside. Avoid jumping from one screen to another. (I still haven’t mastered this!)
20-20-20 Every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. It’s a proven way to reduce digital eye strain.
You’re not lazy – you’re tired If you feel increasingly cynical, numb, or dread starting your study sessions, take it seriously. These are common signs of burnout, not laziness. And if you don’t address it, you just end up cooking in your own disillusion. I used to work for a creative agency, and was expected to be ‘on call’ 24/7 to manage digital accounts. I saw colleague after colleague burn out – and the ones that didn’t, ended up becoming incredibly jaded managers who would subject the next generation to the same punishing routines.
That doesn’t need to be you – break the cycle.
Imposter Syndrome
“I’ve been overtaken. I don’t belong here.”
Waking up most days, feeling like you don’t belong is a crippling feeling. Tech is full of rapid learners and complex topics, and it’s easy to feel like you’re falling behind – or that you were never really good enough to begin with. Even seeing friends and family succeed where you don’t can trigger it.
Imposter syndrome is incredibly common in tech and academia alike. Women and minorities, who also experience a lot of overt and covert abuse in the workplace are incredibly prone to this feeling – which in turn acts like a vicious circle, alienating them further from their career path.
Working in my first advertising agency, I felt like I could never keep up. Like work and questions just kept coming, and if I asked for help I’d be putting a target on my back.
What can help:
Open Up: There’s a non-zero chance others in your team or class feel the same way. Talking about your struggles isn’t a trauma dump.
Keep a journal: Make note of all your successes, whether it was fixing a bug, understanding a concept, or making a successful pitch. Writing about yourself, reflectively, over time not only creates a record of your wins, but is one of the best ways to cultivate self-awareness and give yourself much-needed perspective.
Struggling ≠ failing Struggling means you’re pushing your boundaries. That’s growth, not proof of inadequacy. If you’re in an environment that makes this experience painful – like an overcompetitive workplace, or an unsupportive teacher – that’s not on you.
Motivation Crashout
“Some days I just stare at my bedroom ceiling and can’t start.”
This is something that everyone feels. And in my opinion, it’s potentially the one that can cause the most self-harm. For me, a motivation crashout was a result of social isolation. Without classmates around, tutors checking in, or colleagues sat next to you, it’s easy to lose momentum. When your motivation dips, guilt and shame often follow. These feelings compound, and the work seems insurmountable. Deadlines pass, more shame, more anger – and now you’re stuck in a cycle that’s hard to break.
This was a continual problem during the time I (badly) ran my consultancy. When deadlines approached, there was too much work to do, my anxiety became unmanageable – and after a while work would dry up.
What I Did
Big Tasks are just lots of little jobs ‘Learn networking’ becomes ‘Read one section of Chapter 2; make some cue cards; test with a quiz’. ‘Design a logo’ becomes ‘research brief; look at the competition; draft a mood board.’ Each and every tiny win builds momentum.
Commit to 2 minutes Getting started is the hardest part. But just committing to just two minutes of sustained effort can get that ball rolling
Cure it with Community This is honestly what helped me the most. Develop openness and honesty with your peers. Share your struggles and maybe your colleagues can help you find another way through your workflow
Reconnect with your ‘why’ I’ve found this happens to me again and again – you’re so deep in a project that you can’t see the wood for the trees. Take an hour out for yourself to really circle back on yourself and ask – why am I here? Are you doing this to change your career? Support your family? Build something meaningful? Without perspective and position – how can you figure out your direction?
Information Overload
“Where do I even start??”
Tech evolves fast. There’s always something new to master – and especially if you’re still learning fundamentals, the fear of falling behind can become paralysing. Information overload is one of the most common – and most overlooked – mental health stressors in remote IT learning and working.
The truth is, most vocations in tech are constantly evolving. Even the most experienced professionals are still learning. So it’s not surprising that new learners can get overwhelmed by the sheer volume of tools, topics, and tutorials out there. But overload doesn’t mean you’re not capable. It just means you need a system to get through it all.
What can help:
Stop trying to learn everything all at once It’s tempting to bounce between courses, videos, and cheat sheets. But depth beats breadth. Pick one core topic – say, basic networking or OS concepts—and commit to finishing that before moving on.
Go deep on what you do understand Mastering the basics gives you a foundation to build on. If a topic confuses you, pause and go back to the last point you did understand, then work forward from there. This builds confidence and clarity.
Track your progress Keep a simple notebook, doc, or Notion page where you write down what you’ve learned. Seeing your growth over time is motivating, and a great reminder that you’re moving forward.
BOUNDARIES Putting this one in again, because it’s important. Don’t try to smash out 6 hours of study when there’s just no need. Your life needs you to be in it.
Where to Get Support
If things feel too heavy, don’t go it alone. You’re not weak for needing help—you’re human.
Here are organisations that offer support to students and anyone struggling with their mental health:
- Student Minds – UK’s student mental health charity
- Mind – Mental health resources and support services
- Samaritans – Free, 24/7 emotional support (116 123)
Final Thoughts
It took me a long time to really understand and accept what depression and burnout really were – even while undergoing therapy and counselling. I grew up in the 80s with parent who had incredibly high standards – but who, like many adults today, also saw procrastination and mental health issues as character flaws. And many of us are still dominated by that internalised feeling.
Learning as an adult is no small thing. Studying remotely is even more demanding. Sure, it’s flexible, but it is incredibly demanding emotionally and physically.
If you’re feeling low, overwhelmed, or unmotivated, know that you’re not alone – you’re not failing. This blog isn’t meant to be a magic cure to depression – but for many it’ll be that start of a new learning process, and a foundation stone to a happier life all round.
So take breaks. Ask for help. Talk to others. You’re doing better than you think – and remember, iMeta’s DMs are always open.
