The pandemic outbreak has brought out many changes in life for all of us. The changes include adapting to new ways of working from home. While some employees have shifted to normal work from the office, many are still working from home. Job burnouts in work from home are higher when compared to the other one. It’s essential to understand the challenges in remote work and help employees to combat stress.
Working from home has its own advantages and disadvantages, some enjoy the perks of it. While others find it challenging due to lack of motivation, stress, anxiety and uncertainty. Also, many of the employees are really worried about their future in work-from-home jobs.
Here are five simple tips that can help employees to stay motivated and prevent remote work burnout.
1. Stick To Your Daily Routine
Without daily schedules, handling both work and personal life can be challenging. To avoid the stress issues in working from home, set your daily routines and stick to it.
Stay consistent with your normal sleep routines and working patterns, as it can boost your productivity.
Wake up early in the morning, eat breakfast and start your day positively. Try to schedule "commute time" and spend it like doing exercises, listening to music or reading a book before logging in.
Most importantly, shut down when your work time gets over. Focus on your personal life, stop checking emails and try to go to sleep at your usual time.
2. Make A Dedicated Workspace
Try to find a quiet space in your home which is out of distractions like the TV or the kitchen. Before starting your work, ensure that you have all the essentials like chargers, pens, paper or anything else. Even if you are working from a small space, try to dedicate a workplace in that area.
All this sounds simple, but it will give you comfort at work. Many of us find sitting and relaxing on the sofa while working from home. But it's advisable to sit and work at a table or desk, this will help you to stay productive.
Don’t worry if you don’t have an office set up at home like an adjustable chair. You can make use of cushions to support the normal chair and create your own comfortable space.
3. Take Small Breaks At Work
Taking small breaks is very important to manage your stress levels. Try to take small screen breaks, eat your lunch, or do something that motivates you to return more focused. Even a 5 to 10 minutes of small breaks can uplift your mind and keep you productive all day.
If possible, you can spend some time outdoors, like a small walk or eating out when you can. Being consistent and managing the workspace in regular time is the savior of mental health.
For instance, just go for a small walk, run or ride your bike to get some fresh air or coffee. This is going to be the best stress buster for people working from home.
4. Stay Connected With Team
While working from home has its own advantages, isolation is the hardest part that people complain about. But you can break this out by staying connected with people in your team. Boost your mental wellness by sharing your ideas or thoughts to deal with the projects.
Communication and human interaction are always needed in and out of work. Try to call your employees, or schedule a meeting instead of sending emails. Speak up with your colleagues or manager about your stress and find a solution for it.
Remember that your colleagues are probably working in the same situation, so they can help you out. And the best part is that you can support each other in the workspace to deal with projects.
Make time to socialize with your virtually, you can even schedule a digital coffee break or online get-together on Friday evening. You can discover many new ways and try it out to stay connected.
5. Set Your Boundaries
Setting boundaries with the people in your family while working can prevent work from home burnout and support mental health.
You can be very flexible while working from home. But it can also be difficult in dealing with household work like taking care of children or cooking, etc. Imagine your children got their holiday and want to spend time with you.
In those cases, discuss with your family and set boundaries. Remind that you’re not available during work hours, and share your schedule with them to plan accordingly.
Similarly, setting boundaries at work can even reduce your stress. It will be easier if you’re able to manage both your personal and work life. Be productive at work timings, once the day is over just shut down your screen and relax with family.
Final Note!
Remember, working from home in such an unusual situation will be really hard. But it’s very important to manage your personal life and work at the same time.
Be kind to yourself and acknowledge the difficulties you are facing in daily tasks. You’re not alone, many suffer from mental stress at the virtual workplace. Express yourself, discuss with your team and achieve your goals at the workplace.
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