Negosentro.com | How to Avoid Burnout When Working From Home | Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, most employees have started working from home. While this helps keep business afloat, some find it hard to adjust to the new work arrangement. They struggle to keep their professional and private lives separate. At the same time, they try hard to perform well at their work and take care of their family. Since the pandemic is nowhere near the end, and remote work is the only solution, the risk of burnout has increased. It’s no longer associated with working from an office. Burnout poses a serious threat to employee engagement and productivity. Here are some effective ways to help you avoid burnout when working from home.
Connect and Socialize
The pandemic has forced us to isolate and keep our distance from others. While we definitely must adhere to these rules, the feeling heightens during remote work. It’s important to remember there are other people feeling the same way as you. Today, technology has advanced so much that we can stay in touch with our friends, family, and coworkers. Similarly, internal communication software can help you connect with colleagues and share important information. More importantly, you can receive all important updates and files regarding work and manage your time and tasks efficiently.
Work assignments certainly matter, but what matters the most is human relationships and interaction among employees. Most managers encourage employees to casually chat through employee apps just like they normally would in the workplace. It not only makes their work easier, as they share knowledge and information but also reduces stress levels. With low-stress levels, there’s no room for burnout.
Find Some Time for Yourself
Working in an office meant that after a long and busy workday, you can come home and relax. Since your home is now your office too, you no longer have a place where you can go and rest. Moreover, juggling work and family leaves little or no time for yourself. When was the last time you watched a movie or enjoyed a warm cup of coffee in the morning? It’s okay if you don’t remember.
Still, if you don’t want to experience burnout, you’ll have to find some time for yourself. Take a few minutes every day to stretch. Don’t forget to take breaks every hour or an hour and a half, depending on your needs. When your mind starts to wander, it’s time to take a break. During those breaks, you can take a short walk, breathe in the fresh air, soak up the sun, or have a healthy meal. Whatever activity you decide to do make sure it relaxes not only your body but also your mind.
Exercise Regularly
Working eight hours every day is demanding. More so if you sit behind a desk most of the time. When you forget to stretch often, your body feels sore and your health deteriorates over time. Without any physical activity, you can develop heart issues or even cancer. For this reason, it is important to exercise regularly.
Maybe you went to the gym before the pandemic. There’s no reason for you to stop working out during isolation. You can look up workout tutorials on the internet and continue with your routine. Meanwhile, quarantine is the best time to try out some new activities such as yoga or pilates. Many exercise apps can help you stay fit and cope with stress easier. Since you’ll be working out at home, why not ask your kids or other family members to join you. You will get to spend some quality time with them during the day and recharge for a new workday.
Reward Yourself at the End of the Day
After you’ve finished all work for the day and put kids to bed, you crawl into bed too. You are exhausted and you need sleep. However, you can try planning your day and setting achievable goals. You can make plans for today in the morning or plans for tomorrow this evening. Also, make a list of priorities and give your best to achieve them.
As motivation, reward yourself at the end of the day. In the evening, summarize your day and see where you stand with your checklist. If you have completed tasks from the list, you can eat your favourite ice cream or have a bubble bath. Whatever motivates you enough to push hard and reach goals, make it your reward. This system will help you get through the day without any pressure or stress.
Plan Your Vacation
Although it’s highly unlikely we’ll be able to travel anywhere this year, you can still make plans. You can imagine there’s no pandemic or plan out your vacation for when it’s finally over. Maybe the time has finally come for you to visit someplace from your wish list. Make a detailed list including where would you go, what would you like to see, which souvenirs to buy, etc. Take all the time you need to plan it all out to the slightest details.
Depending on the situation, you may be even able to schedule the vacation in advance. Planning your vacation isn’t stressful. On the contrary, it gives you something to hope for during these difficult times.
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Morgan Rose Elliott graduated marketing from The University of Sydney. Aroma therapist, yoga instructor, and avid animal lover. Rookie blogger who loves writing about business and lifestyle equally. She is happily married, stay at home mother of three
Twitter account: https://twitter.com/MorganRoseElli1
