How to Avoid Burnout in a Remote World

The first quarter of 2022 brought some hope for people as the pandemic showed some signs of abating. However, with the emergence and spread of new Covid-19 variants, things were back to square one. While millions suffered worldwide, work from home became the new normal prompting industry leaders to question when their employees were more productive – at home or in the office.  

A recent survey by the Becker Friedman Institute for Economics showed that employees were equally productive at home as well as in the office. However, remote work is likely to disturb the work-life balance and may lead to burnout. Since remote work is not going away anytime soon, you need to follow some ways to avoid burnout while working from home.  

1. Create a workstation

If you are working remotely from the comforts of your home, you must have realized how convenient it is for you not to leave home for the office every day. However, at the same time, you have felt that you can never leave work as it is from home. Therefore, it is important to create a specific workspace at home. It will enable you to separate your work and personal life – both physically and mentally.  

2. Connecting with colleagues

Since you are working remotely you may often miss your office and colleagues. But this shouldn’t be the case as you can always meet your coworkers in a virtual mode. You can reach out to them and hold meetings, spend a happy hour or even talk about issues not related to work. Meeting your colleagues regularly will help you to avoid depression and burnout and also make you feel like a part of the team.  

3. Take short breaks

If you are working remotely, you may often find yourself looking at the screen of your computer for too long and even lose track of time. When you were working from the office you would often take short breaks like getting up to fetch water or going for lunch. So, when you are working remotely follow the same routine. Plan your breaks, no matter how small they are. Taking short breaks will refresh your mind and also give you some rest to focus back on your work. This is important because if you work day after day and do not let up, you will burnout soon.  

4. Schedule time for hobbies

Aside from planning your breaks, you also need to ensure that you are not overworking yourself. Give yourself some room at some time of the day to pursue your hobbies. After all, you too are a human being and not a robot. Hence, it is natural to have interests outside your work. You may think that not commuting to the office will leave you with enough time, but in reality, even that time is added to your workday. So, make sure that you don’t make your life monotonous, as it will only lead to early burnout.  

5. Meditate or workout

When you are working remotely, you have fewer physical activities. As a result, you may be a victim of anxiety or depression. In order to avoid these, try yoga, meditation, or light workouts. These activities or even taking a regular walk will help you to keep physically and mentally agile, thereby preventing burnout.  

6. Take a vacation

Last, but not least important, use your vacation when you need to. Since you are not commuting to the office, it does not mean you will not get time away from your work. It has been scientifically proved that taking vacations helps to enhance your overall wellbeing and productivity too. Sometimes you may not like to work, even from home. In such situations, you should utilize your sick leave to maintain your work-life balance.