Working From Home Burnout

Some of us only had to work from home for a couple weeks, others still operating from whatever space they could find in their homes. Now that it has been two years since the shift from in-office to permanently work from home situations the research is emerging. The percentage of night-waking is double for working from home employees than those in office. It is also double the stress as a result of no work-life balance.

This is not everyone and certainly don't discount working from home as I'm in this situation. There is a freeing feeling to be able and keep up with the house chores on a quick break, make a healthy lunch easily and get time back from not commuting. But it did come with some actions and habits that I and many others had to learn. Taking the research from burnout and healthy boundaries, here are three things you can do to support a less stressful work from home lifestyle. 

Commit to Core Work Hours

Sometimes we want to check that email, reply real quick or work a little on a project/report to feel better tomorrow.  It actually has the opposite effect on the brain. The brain needs rest and reset in order to have space for tomorrow. It's similar to running a marathon. If you ran all the time, not giving the muscles space to recover, eventually you will no longer be able to run. Don't work from your bed, create a stationed space in which you only attend to during these core work hours. Start your mornings with no work in it until you get to that space. This habit change will be hard but I promise you'll have more clarity and productivity in your days ahead!

True Breaks

It's easy to get distracted at home because there is no one popping into your office or passing by that may disagree with your unproductive actions. Being on 5-social media platforms has shown me that my followers are on all day long. I put an IG/FB story in the morning, within minutes many have already seen it. I may post another story in the afternoon or throughout the day and they are the first ones to see it again. Beware not only of the unproductive action but the overstimulation you are doing to your brain. It's already at-work, reduce the screen inputs. If you feel extremely drained after work and want to do nothing in the evening, this may be contributing to the fatigue. You've maxed out the brain inputs for the day and it's checking out. It's important to know that distractions are not breaks, they are interruptions. 

Use break time for a more energetic reset. Move, stretch, walk, dance to get the blood circulating. Grab up a quick mood booster such as some pet time, water plants, fresh air breather or text a friend. 

Beginning and End of Day Transition

Work clothes and a dedicated work space is the easier way to make a transition to work and out of work to shut off and create a work-life balance. Prove to your brain what's different. Clothes and environment changes will give the brain images to help you shut work mode on and off. Laptops are easily mobile to make sure electronics are away and out of sight. I'm a recovering stress addict and this was hard. So I made all electronics disappear after core work hours and the temptation decreased. Out of sight, out of mind. Establish a new routine to support this situation that you will remain in the house all day where you have already been all night. Understand that change is needed to support this work from home structure. Reward and reroute as needed. 

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