6 best practices to avoid Work from Home Burnout

Are you reading this in your shorts? You are not alone.

Comfortable clothes all day long. No traveling to work. Freedom to do all the household chores while still being on a conference call.

Yes! The joy of working from home.

Although millions across the globe have made a sudden shift to remote work during the Covid-19 pandemic, not surprisingly enough, some employers are worried about preserving the productivity of workers. But what they really need to worry about in this unprecedented situation is a long-term risk: Employee burnout.

Approximately one-third of Indians have been feeling more burnt out over the last six months, according to Microsoft’s Work Trend Index. “India had the second-highest number of workers in Asia who had been faced with more burnout at around 29 percent,” said Microsoft based on a survey of 6,000 workers from 8 countries.

If you think burnout simply means being drained from your work, think again. Burnout is known to cause a variety of physical and mental disorders: high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, weakened immune system, anxiety, depression, cognitive impairment, Alzheimer’s disease, etc.

But Don’t worry!

If you feel like you are nearing burnout, let’s talk about it. We want to share with you the ways you can prevent burnout and remain positive when you work from home.

Hopefully, a couple of these tips will work for you!

Get up for a walk.

Recently, I read that some of the greatest authors of all time were influenced by the walks they took, or by the solitude of nature. There’s something genuinely refreshing to see green trees, grass, flowers, or landscapes, no matter where you live.

As I write this, I’m inspired by this subtle shadow from a big tree in the park as I sit in a lawn chair on a patch of grass next to a garden.

Back to walking, take a walk around your apartment building, or walk around your block or to a nearby park.

Walking helps in relieving stress and can help you reset your mind towards what motivates you the most.

Switch off email/work notifications after work hours.

It’s important to turn off an email when you’re not “at work” — you shouldn’t be available all the time. Let the teammates and the manager know when they should expect you. Let people know your general schedule, and when you’re off the clock, they’re not left wondering.

Use yoga to free your mind throughout the day.

It is not necessary to join a studio or a gym to learn yoga. You can also learn yoga and do it from anywhere.

In my opinion, yoga provides a challenge, a way of sweating, a way of constantly improvising, and a way of calming down. As far as avoiding burnout is concerned, yoga is an amazing way to be conscious, learn about your body, and reduce stress.

Using yoga to give your mind a temporary restart will help you stay sane when working from home.

Schedule time to cook.

If you’re trying to avoid burnout, I wouldn’t say that cooking is going to absolutely reverse it, but it will certainly help. Cooking is therapeutic — at least that is what I found when I started learning how to cook in the mid-20s.

If you feel burnt, channel your caffeine or irritation into slicing fruits or vegetables or use a blender to make a wonderful smoothie. What are you waiting for, huh?

Don’t forget about your vacation time. Even if you need to sit at home, get your mind off of work

Having a time off from work can be challenging when you work from home, because your home is your workplace, so remember to leave your home office alone when you don’t have to be at work or work on your hobbies

Burnout happens when you’re working too hard and too often. Take a holiday and prepare for it in advance, you should know when you should get off the grid and have a special experience, whether it’s a corner of your local park or a place on your wish list.

Last but not least- Communicate Your Concerns

Without personal experiences on the office floor, it is more difficult for your colleagues to note subtle changes in your behavior and to discuss them with you. It is your duty to be mindful of your actions and to talk to someone about it. Concealing your concerns behind a smile would only make it worse.

If you feel stressed out, express this tactfully to your manager or co-workers. Consider putting together a fun, group call, or if Zoom exhaustion is high, set up a socially distanced meeting in a park.

Start developing a degree of self-awareness about these warning signs of burnout and take proactive steps to avoid burnout in its tracks.

You control your career; do not let it control you.

Wrapping-up

WFH burnout is a serious condition and you should be aware of it so that you can do the best things to keep you and your loved one physically and mentally safe through these tough times.

I hope you found this article helpful and I am sure some of these tips if not all, will help you deal with work from home related burnouts.

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