As enjoyable as it may sound to roll out of bed and work in half pajama attire, we turned out to miss out on many other things that once maintained our well-being. Thus, it’s no surprise that Work-From-Home burnout has been on the rise ever since the pandemic changed our work habits.
What is a Work-From-Home Burnout?
To prevent burnout, we must first understand them. Declared by the World Health Organization as an “Occupational Phenomenon,” the work-from-home burnout shows in the forms of:
- A lack of energy and motivation, accompanied by exhaustion
- Detesting, cynical, or distanced attitude toward a job you once enjoyed
- Reduced efficiency, including difficulties to concentrate
- Sense of isolation and Loneliness?
With the regular work routine, your mind and body enter the work state once you clock in and exit when you head back home. However, the line between work and leisure blurs once we are working outside the office setting.
As a result, your brain can’t enter and exit work mode as clearly as before. The feeling of never being truly “off work” is one of the top reasons behind work-from-home burnouts among new remote workers.
Another reason burnout rates are increasing is that we are losing essential components of our comfortable routine: our socializing with coworkers, the mandatory lunch break. Most people never worked fully remotely up until the pandemic. Therefore, they must face a lack of communication and interaction created by the WFH lifestyle and the Covid-19 crisis simultaneously, which creates a higher stress level than ever.
Four Ways to Avoid Work-From-Home Burnout
Create a Schedule
When you’re at the office and the day is over, it’s easy to stop working and go home. When you work from home, it sometimes feels as if you are always on-the-clock. Therefore, the first step to avoid work-from-home burnout is to create a schedule for yourself.
There are a few things you can do to make that schedule efficient:
- Add small break sessions and a mandatory lunch break.
- Make use of efficiency work models, such as the Pomodoro Time.
- Communicate with your coworkers even if you are not interacting face-to-face
- Schedule holidays off like usual
Learn to Unplug
We are living in the digital age, and remote workstyle made us more dependent on our devices. However, it’s not natural for humans to constantly stick their eyes to a screen. At some point, your brain becomes fed up with digital communication and overloading information and tries to fight back.
Unplugging is a great way to avoid work-from-home burnouts. It gives you the time and privacy to recharge. You enter the “me” zone and can finally make peace with yourself.
Change the Scenery
Humans are visual animals. Even if you are still working remotely, a change of scenery could bring new magic and excitement to your work-from-home lifestyle. For example, renting a hot desk at a coworking space allows you to enter a professional work environment without committing to an office.
If you have stayed in your pajamas, try to dress for work and actually go somewhere different. On the opposite side, if you feel suffocated, try to work out of a park some days.
Stay Connected
Humans are social animals. Therefore, finding creative ways to stay engaged and connected is vital to avoiding work-from-home burnouts. Make technologies work for you and host Zoom happy hours. Get on the phone with your friends and ask about how they are doing. Colab Space host many virtual mixers and educational events to help you stay connected with the community.
Immersing yourself in a social environment while distancing yourself is another good idea. Coffee shops, coworking spaces, even nature parks are all great places to get a dose of human interaction.
Avoiding Work-From-Home Burnout Here and On
You must pay attention to how you feel and how you spend your time. Allow yourself to make necessary adjustments to avoid troublesome work-from-home burnout. Change up your schedule, create privacy and offline time for yourself, and maintain a healthy communication level in and outside work.
And if the time comes… take a vacation. Whether it’s a full weekend unplugged and chilling at home or driving out somewhere for a reconnection with nature — do what it takes to maintain a healthy, positive lifestyle.
Because you matter. Your feelings and mental health all matter.