Work-from-home burnout can sneak up on you quickly. Those extra 45 minutes you spend on a project outside work hours can be more detrimental than you realize. Aside from abiding by a strict schedule, there are a few other ways to prevent the negativity that comes along with burnout.
Some people are so grateful to be working from home (or are worried they’ll be called back to the office if they slip up) that they do more than is expected of them. While there are some benefits to this mentality, if you overdo it, you’ll likely suffer.
You may suffer from work-from-home burnout if you’re starting to detest your once-loved career. To understand why you’re feeling this way and solve it, you must first find the problem.
What Causes Work-From-Home Burnout?
While work-from-home burnout is typically caused by the desire to do better, you’re not doing yourself or your company any favors. Many different variables can cause us to feel work-from-home burnout, including the following:
- Over-working yourself
- Lack of social support
- Feeling undervalued
- The desire to stand out
- The struggle of managing a career and home from the same location
Unless you’ve mastered your time management skills, your work-from-home hours are likely longer than in-office hours. Even though an Owl Labs 2022 study shows that 62% of employees feel more productive working at home, that doesn’t mean they’ll likely grant themselves shorter days. In fact, 55% of remote employees work longer hours.
Symptoms of Work-From-Home Burnout
Feeling burnt out from work can present itself in many different ways. For many, it feels like an off week that never ends. If you’re feeling one or more of the following, you may be experiencing work-from-home burnout:
- Difficulty focusing and forgetfulness
- Physical pain (headaches or body aches)
- Cynicism toward your job or colleagues
- Irritable and unmotivated
- Unable to disconnect from work
- Less inspired
8 Techniques To Help Prevent Work-From-Home Burnout
1. Create a Routine
Think about your days at the office. You woke up, showered, dressed, completed your morning routine, and went to work. All of these tasks mentally prepared you to mind to go into work mode.
When working from home, you also need a routine. Wake up at a specific hour, get dressed, drink coffee, and begin. Having a dedicated office space in your home also makes a big difference. Take a shower, meditate, or change your clothing to signify the end of the work day.
2. Schedule Breaks Into Your Day
While working from home has likely given you more hours in your day, not all these extra hours should be used for work. Between meetings or projects, take a quick break. A brisk walk around the block or simply focusing on something else will likely recharge and motivate you.
If you can’t get up and walk around, keep the 20-20-20 rule in mind. After 20 minutes of looking at a screen, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds to prevent eye fatigue.
3. Exercise
Sitting (or standing) at your desk for extended periods is not good for your mind or body. Make it a point to do at least a small form of exercise each day. This can be as minimal as walking or as intense as going to the gym.
Apart from doing favors for your physical health, exercise causes neurotransmitters (endorphins and endocannabinoids) to be released. These neurotransmitters do wonders for your mental health, making you feel happier and less stressed.
4. Set Boundaries
There should be a clear distinction between business and personal hours. Don’t answer social calls during your work hours and vice-versa.
Sometimes, you may need to clarify this to the rest of your team. Tell them you are only available during specific hours; anything besides emergencies must wait. Turning off push notifications during non-working hours is helpful to many people.
5. Eat Healthy Food
It’s no secret that healthy foods can help you feel, concentrate, and think better. Give your brain the power it needs to get you through the day.
You might feel it’s counterproductive to take an extra 15 minutes to cook something healthy, but it’s not. Studies show that healthy food improves brain cognition, memory, and development.
6. Get Enough Sleep
Like eating well, sleeping well also significantly affects your brain’s functions. Lack of sleep impairs your judgment, concentration, and alertness. No matter why you’re sleeping less, it’s likely to cause work-from-home burnout.
Adults typically need at least seven hours of uninterrupted sleep per night. Mentally clocking out of work at least three hours before bedtime gives your mind enough time to unwind.
7. Create a Community
If you haven’t met your employees or coworkers face to face, you may not feel like you have a work community. While you can’t physically stand around the water cooler, you can still connect with your coworkers via Slack, Microsoft Teams, or Discord.
As an employee, if you’re unsure how to strike up a virtual conversation with someone, find a way to compliment someone’s work and send them a message. Focus on positive discussions. As a manager, have everyone introduce themselves via your business messaging app.
8. Set Manageable Goals
Celebrate small victories. If you set one big goal, you’ll likely overwork yourself and feel unproductive and overly stressed, leading to work-from-home burnout.
Goals should be SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound). Write each goal down in detail, consider potential obstacles, and work towards it at the decided-upon pace.
