How To Avoid Remote Working Burn Out

Working from home has rapidly transitioned into a normal part of working life for many, thanks to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. While at first it seemed great and was almost fun and enjoyable, the novelty soon wore off and people began to realise that it was not quite all it was cracked up to be. In fact, many people have become very close to burnout. 

Juggling childcare and perhaps homeschooling, working with unreliable internet access and managing all of the distractions around you, coupled with the isolation that lockdowns and restrictions have brought about have meant that workers all over the country – and the world – have found it difficult and are starting to run out of steam.

So, how can you avoid burning out and becoming disengaged when it comes to working remotely or from home? Let’s take a look:

Image via Pexels CC0

Keep a routine

While you may have originally loved the idea of spending the whole day working in your pjs, now that working remotely is in full swing for a number of businesses, it is important to maintain as many work boundaries and routines as possible. 

 This is because, from a psychological point of view, your brain needs to acknowledge the shift from home life to work life. By working in your PJ’s, you will find it much harder to make that transition and will find it harder to stay motivated and engaged with your work, and not be able to shut off after work hours.     

To avoid this, try and emulate the routine you had when you were in the office. Get up, get ready and have breakfast and a coffee. If possible, go for a quick walk to replace your commute and start that transition from home to work. Reverse the process at the end of the work day.

Emulate the office environment

As we mentioned above, having that distinction between home life and work life is important for sustaining motivation and a balance between your two beings. If you can, set aside a space in your home to work from. Put your laptop in there alongside your blue light glasses, files and everything else that you need to complete your work tasks. At the end of the day, when you have finished, close the door behind you and walk away until the next morning.

Take regular breaks and walks

Staying inside for too long will give you cabin fever. While we are all limited at the moment as to where we can go and what we can do, taking regular breaks to stretch your legs, take your eyes off your computer screen and if possible, go for a walk for a blast of fresh air and exercise is essential. Even going into your back garden and pacing round it, or taking a few deep breaths on the doorstep can be massively beneficial for keeping you on task and mentally healthy.

Life has changed significantly for us all recently, working from home being just one of them. Remember, it is ok to take a break and ask for help if you need it.