At the start of the pandemic, it was almost impossible to contain our excitement about working from home. But, more than two years in, many of us have found out that remote work is not the piece of cake we thought it might be. Workplace fatigue can still happen, even if your place of employment is your warm and cozy home.
Today, we are pleased to share a few tips that can keep you cool and calm when burnout starts to set in.
Organize your workspace
Being organized, especially while you are working, has many benefits, including stress reduction and boosted productivity. To maintain a neat and orderly workstation, keep your desk (or other work surface) clean and clear. You should also have a place for everything, including pencils, notebooks, and other tools that you use throughout the day. You will have more positive energy if you take the time to eliminate clutter and other negative influences.
Give yourself a respite
Even though you are in the same spot for what might feel like 24/7, give yourself a place to step away from home and work. One great idea is to create a backyard sanctuary with a comfortable seating area, flowers, and other calming elements. Look online at Angi landscapers to find contractors that have been well-reviewed and have experience in the type of project you have envisioned. You can also look for landscapers that offer special pricing if you are looking to keep your cost down.
Maintain a healthy lifestyle
While burnout can affect your mental state, there are many physical components to it as well. Keep your body healthy by doing things like attending fitness classes and eating the right foods. Stay Fit offers perks to guests that help them make these types of healthy decisions.
Take breaks
Give yourself permission to take breaks each hour. Stepping away from your desk is especially important if you sit all day. Get up, check the mail, walk around the house, or just stand outside and enjoy a few moments of sunshine. Doing so will help break up your day so that you don’t feel quite as bogged down. The point here is to interrupt the monotony, which HR software design firm Cipher explains can help you retain information and be more creative.
Set a strict schedule
Even if you are taking enough breaks, you have to stop working at some point. It’s way too easy to keep working when you are supposed to clock out. Set a strict stop and start time each day, and do not be tempted to use the time you would otherwise be commuting to catch up on emails.
Be present during your off hours
Learn how to “turn off” your work brain and get back into life mode once you’ve logged out each day. Be present with yourself, your friends, and your family when it is personal time. Kids may take it deeply personally that your focus is on something else when you are home during the day. They don’t understand that your job simply changed addresses. Sit down with each other every night and show them your full attention. This helps strengthen your bonds and remind you what you are working for in the first place.
Break tasks up by importance and time to completion
Another quick tip to help beat burnout is to make a list every day and break things up into different categories. Handle your most pressing or boring assignments first, then switch to something less important that you can wrap up quickly. This will keep you on track and motivated as you see more things moved out of your inbox.
No matter how much you love your job, working from home means that it is ever-present. It is easy to get burnt out, distracted, and ready to call it quits. But, with a few simple changes to how you handle each day, you can stay focused, productive, and happy at home and when you are on the clock.
Brad Krause created Self Caring after years spent putting his own self-care on the back burner. His goal now is to educate people on the importance of self-care by providing tips and tricks that are easy to implement.