Remote work comes with its own stresses, and the road towards achieving a work-life balance isn’t necessarily a straight one. In fact, U.S. News reports that the current health crisis may be fueling the country’s loneliness epidemic, meaning that unplugging from work and being at home may not be comforting for many.

To help you and your team manage this new norm, below are some work-life myths to stop believing.

Myth: There is such a thing as ‘valuable’ work

Let’s face it: there are some days when your daily tasks simply involve collating a few spreadsheets and sending emails. This is all valuable work as it gets operations running, but it can be hard to feel like we’re doing good work unless we’re saving lives or creating new products. The Huffington Post underscores the harm of feeling like you have to be productive when everything around you is full of tension and anxiety, and this principle can also help you manage your workday. Remind your employees that it’s okay if all they do is finish their tasks for the day — however mundane these tasks may be. For many employees, their workday is valuable simply because it gives them a way to structure their day. This is more than enough.

Myth: You shouldn’t let your team into your personal life

You don’t have to divulge all your secrets to your team members, but letting them know what you’re struggling with allows them to find ways to help you. Community building lies at the very heart of Industrious’ co-working operations, but this spirit can still be upheld even for remote teams. In fact, this commitment to team-building led to the creation of Industrious’ Continuous program, a resource hub for teams to connect remotely, host meetings, and join seminars. Open communication and vulnerability helps you and your team become pillars of support for one another during these tough times. Relying on video messaging platforms and other resources allows teams to stay connected instantly, which can be a great source of comfort for those feeling like they’re struggling alone.

Myth: Great leaders and managers always have to be on-call

Open communication is important, but managers shouldn’t also have to feel like they’re at the beck and call of their team. You have to take care of yourself first before you can take care of others, which is an adage that managers would do well to abide by during this time. While you should let your team members know that they can approach you for any concerns, you should also let them know when you’re planning to switch off for the day. In fact, sending each of your team members a personal message before you log off at the end of the day can help them feel supported while also establishing your own boundaries. Doing so will also impress onto your team members the importance of setting boundaries for themselves, which they can then carry onto their daily lives.

We at Kilpatrick abide by the idea that a successful company is one where managers and team members work together to achieve a common goal. Taking care of your employees at this time is crucial to show that you value their personal development, and these busting these work-life myths is a great place to start.