How to Avoid Work from Home Burnout

When you work from home, it can sometimes be hard to separate your job from your personal life. This can lead to burnout, leaving you feeling drained and unmotivated. Fortunately, there are things you can do that will help lessen the chance that you'll feel burned out, which will ultimately make you more productive at work and more satisfied at home in your off time.

[Edit]Steps

[Edit]Prepping for Your Workday

1. Come up with a routine that signals the start of your workday. Each morning when you wake up, take a few minutes to drink coffee, eat breakfast, watch the news, or whatever you like to do to start your day. Then, when you're ready to switch to work, do something that represents that shift to you. For instance, you might freshen up and put on work clothes in case you need to video chat during the day, or you could open your timesheet and clock in, similar to the way you'd punch in at work.^[1]
   
   • This routine doesn't have to be anything fancy. You could simply sit in an area that you've designated for work, as long as that helps you get in the right mindset to start being productive.
2. Create a distinct, quiet work area. To help keep yourself from blurring the lines between work and your personal life, make a special spot in your home where you plan to work. Keep all of your work supplies in this area, and let your family members or roommates know that when you're working, you need them to try to keep distractions to a minimum.^[2]
   
   • For instance, you might convert a room (or even a small nook in your main living area) into a home office.
3. Set clearly-defined work hours. When you're working from home, it can be tempting to be relaxed about your work hours. However, that can lead to unintentionally spending most of your day at work, since you might end up checking emails or finishing up projects during your normal off hours. To avoid that, try to stick to roughly the same starting and ending time for work each day. Also, communicate your schedule to your boss (compromising with them if necessary), so they'll know when they can expect you to be online.^[3]
   
   • Keeping a clear separation between your work hours and your off time will help you be more productive during the day while also feeling more relaxed when you're off.
   • Keep in mind that your work-from-home hours might be different than your office hours. For instance, if you need time during the day to prepare lunch for your children, you might let your boss know that you plan to work several hours in the morning and several hours in the afternoon, with a break around lunchtime.
4. End each workday intentionally. Just like having a morning routine can help signal to your brain that it's time to quit working, it can also help to do something at the end of each day that makes you feel like you're done with work. For instance, you might empty your inbox, change into comfortable clothes, take a shower, go for a run, or move from your desk to the couch. ^[4]
   
   • This can also signal to your family that it's okay for them to interact with you normally since they might have been trying to give you space while you were working.

[Edit]Being Productive at Work

1. Take on your most important tasks first. Don't worry about trying to knock as many items off your to-do list as possible in an effort to seem productive. Instead, try to prioritize work that's more important or difficult to get it out of the way.^[5]
   
   • In the long run, this will actually improve your productivity, because it will likely seem easier to take on smaller tasks once the big ones are out of the way.
2. Take breaks throughout the day to keep your energy up. Sitting in one place focused on the same task can make you feel mentally and physically drained. To help prevent that, take a short break every hour or two. Even something as simple as standing up to stretch or getting a small snack can keep you more focused in the long run.^[6]
   
3. Reach out to your coworkers during the workday for support. Loneliness and isolation can increase the risk of burning out. If you're feeling on your own, don't be afraid to ping a coworker for a chat about work or the challenges of working from home. Chances are, they'll welcome the opportunity to connect, too.^[7]
   
   • For instance, if you're feeling overwhelmed, you might message one of your coworkers who always makes you laugh. Even just a quick chat might help you feel energized enough to get back to work with a better mindset.
4. Talk to your boss if you need to adjust your workload. If you're new to working from home, you may find that distractions make it harder to get the same amount of work done as you would in the office, especially if you live with other people. If that's the case, take a few days to monitor how much you're actually getting done during the day. Then, talk to your boss so they know what they can expect from you.^[8]
   
   • For instance, you might say something like, "Hi Maria! Do you have a moment to chat about my workload? I know I usually complete about 12-15 reports a day, but it's been a little hard for me to hit that since I've been working from home. I think I could handle 10-12, though. Do you think that's reasonable?"
   • Being realistic about your expectations applies to your off time, too. It's totally ok to decompress in front of the TV if that's what you like doing—don't feel pressured to be productive every moment of the day.^[9]
5. End each workday by planning for the next one. At the end of your day, spend about 5-10 looking over your unfinished or upcoming tasks. Then, note the top 3 things you'd like to accomplish on your next workday. That way, when you sit down to work again, you'll already know what you need to start with, and you'll be less likely to forget an important task.^[10]
   
   • It can help to write down your priorities in your calendar or on a notepad near your computer.

[Edit]Balancing Your Home Life

1. Do something after work that makes you feel relaxed. While you'll likely have to take care of things like meals and laundry after work, try to set aside at least a little time for yourself each day. Exactly what that looks like will be different for everyone, but it might be as simple as watching a TV show you enjoy, playing a game on your phone, or getting lost in a good book. By being intentional about relaxing, you'll be more likely to feel mentally refreshed the next day. ^[11]
   
   • For instance, if you normally go to the gym after work, you might do a workout video at home instead.
   • If you enjoy cooking, you might spend time looking up new recipes to try.^[12]
   • You could also go for a walk or even just sit outside for a little while to enjoy the fresh air!
2. Step back from work if you notice signs of burnout. If you start feeling tired all the time, unmotivated at work, or like your emotions are somewhat less intense, you might be dealing with burnout. In that case, it might be a good idea to ask for a few days off or a lighter workload. If you can't do that, at least reclaim as much of your off-time as possible so you can recharge after work.^[13]
   
   • For instance, you might send your boss an email that says something like, "Hey Jeff, is okay if we scale back my assignments this week? I've been feeling a little overloaded and I feel like it's affecting my productivity."
   • Don't try to just push through burnout without making any changes—long-term work stress is linked to physical conditions like headaches, pain in your body, and even cardiovascular disease.
3. Avoid checking your work email outside of work hours. When you work from home, it can be all too easy to find yourself answering a quick email after dinner or chatting with a client while you're playing with your kids. However, once you set your schedule, it's important that you maintain that boundary by only doing work-related tasks during your actual work hours.^[14]
   
   • You might also consider removing work apps from your phone. That way, you won't feel obligated to answer work emails or messages after hours, since you won't be notified about them until you log back onto your work computer.^[15]
4. Learn to say no when you feel overwhelmed. When you're working from home, it's harder for your employers to intuitively read when you have too much going on. That's why it's important to speak up if you have too much on your plate.^[16]
   
   • Something as simple as, "I'm sorry, I don't know if I'll have time for that today" can go a long way toward helping your boss manage their expectations—and your workload.

[Edit]References

1. ↑ https://hbr.org/2020/04/3-tips-to-avoid-wfh-burnout
2. ↑ https://hbr.org/2020/04/3-tips-to-avoid-wfh-burnout
3. ↑ https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/21/success/burnout-work-from-home-work-transformed/index.html
4. ↑ https://www.forbes.com/sites/melodywilding/2020/03/25/how-to-work-from-home-without-burning-out-or-losing-work-life-balance/#f1d6e7e77a32
5. ↑ https://hbr.org/2020/04/3-tips-to-avoid-wfh-burnout
6. ↑ https://www.independent.co.uk/news/long_reads/health-and-wellbeing/working-from-home-avoid-burnout-coronavirus-a9413756.html
7. ↑ https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/21/success/burnout-work-from-home-work-transformed/index.html
8. ↑ https://www.forbes.com/sites/melodywilding/2020/03/25/how-to-work-from-home-without-burning-out-or-losing-work-life-balance/#f1d6e7e77a32
9. ↑ https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20200330-covid-19-how-to-learn-a-new-skill-in-coronavirus-quarantine
10. ↑ https://www.forbes.com/sites/melodywilding/2020/03/25/how-to-work-from-home-without-burning-out-or-losing-work-life-balance/#f1d6e7e77a32
11. ↑ https://www.independent.co.uk/news/long_reads/health-and-wellbeing/working-from-home-avoid-burnout-coronavirus-a9413756.html
12. ↑ https://www.forbes.com/sites/melodywilding/2020/03/25/how-to-work-from-home-without-burning-out-or-losing-work-life-balance/#f1d6e7e77a32
13. ↑ https://www.independent.co.uk/news/long_reads/health-and-wellbeing/working-from-home-avoid-burnout-coronavirus-a9413756.html
14. ↑ https://hbr.org/2020/04/3-tips-to-avoid-wfh-burnout
15. ↑ https://www.forbes.com/sites/melodywilding/2020/03/25/how-to-work-from-home-without-burning-out-or-losing-work-life-balance/#f1d6e7e77a32
16. ↑ https://money.com/work-from-home-burnout-tips-help/