Due to the current pandemic, businesses were forced to adopt a remote work setup. And while it keeps the company afloat, work from home burnout can be challenging for employees to tackle. So much so that it can be stressful.
How To Prevent Work From Home Burnout
If you think that remote working is taking a toll on your sanity, here are seven stress-relieving tips that you can apply:
1. Create a Work-from-Home Routine
If you are new to this setup, working from home can get you off-guard. Thus, creating and sticking to a routine can give you a sense of normalcy.
You can start the day with morning meditation, taking a shower, and having breakfast before working. Having a routine also means knowing when to take a break.
Regardless, having a work-from-home routine does not have to be rigid. It is all about setting boundaries between work and life.
2. Prep Your Workspace
Whether you work in an office or at home, your environment can affect your productivity. Thus, it would be best to prep your workspace.
One way to do that is to make your bed as soon as you wake up, just like Navy Seal Admiral William H. McRaven advises. Another is to keep your dedicated workspace clean before working.
If your desk is near a window, consider opening it and let natural light come in. Doing so can improve concentration and reduce eyestrain and headache.
3. Know When to Take a Break
The best way to relieve stress when working remotely is to know when to take a break. You can use a neck massager or practice slow breathing. Here’s how you can do it:
- Sit in a comfortable place.
- Put your hands on your knees.
- Open your hands while breathing in.
- Gently close it when breathing out.
The key is to focus on your breathing. If you find it challenging to do so, concentrate on the movement of your hands. This breathing exercise teaches you to slow down, letting let go of negative and overwhelming thoughts.
4. Exercise and Stretch
Aside from taking a break, exercise and stretching can also help you relieve your stress.
But that does not mean you should establish a fancy routine. A five-minute seated yoga will do. So is simple stretching.
Yoga brings your mind at ease, while stretching allows you to ease those tensioned muscles. If you feel tensed and suffocated from work, you can search for simple work-from-home stretches that you can do.
5. Socialize With Your Colleagues
Due to COVID-19, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises physical distancing. However, that does not mean disconnecting from your family, friends, and colleagues.
Luckily, technology has allowed us to still socialize despite the distance. So much so that Zoom parties are prevalent nowadays. There are also a plethora of virtual team-building ideas that you can do with your colleague.
Participating in such activities allows you to keep in touch even if you cannot see each other face-to-face.
6. Do Not Multitask
Many fall into the trap of multitasking, thinking that it can help employees accomplish a lot. However, our brains are wired to focus on one thing only.
That’s because multitasking overstimulates our brains, which can hamper our concentration and productivity.
It would be best to break down large tasks into smaller ones. And then learn to prioritize these small tasks so you can finish your tasks.
7. Don’t Beat Yourself Up
According to a 2017 United Nations study, remote employees tend to experience a high level of stress because it is easy to blur the lines between work and personal time.
Nonetheless, you should not beat yourself up just because you cannot set boundaries. Doing so takes practice.
Instead, it would be best to take a pause and do the following when you are overwhelmed:
- Keep in touch with your colleagues
- Take a 30-minute walk
- Listen to low-fi music
- Practice seated yoga poses
- Take the time to breathe
Doing so prevents you from thinking negatively about yourself, hindering your productivity.
Take Things Slow and Get the Hang of It
Stress is inevitable. More so when working from home. Nonetheless, we can choose how to respond.
To recap, here are some tips you should keep in when you are stressed from working remotely:
- Create a work-from-home routine
- Prep your workspace
- Know when to take a break
- Exercise and stretch
- Socialize with your colleagues
- Don’t multitask
- Don’t beat yourself up
What you can do is take things slow so you can manage your levels of work from home burnout and pivot away from becoming overwhelmed by stress.
About the Author: Raymond Chiu is the Director of Operations for Maid Sailors Office Cleaning Service NYC. Maid Sailors take pride in providing outstanding office cleaning services at affordable prices. Maid Sailors help workplaces transform into spotless places.
