It’s been over five months since many of us have been working from home. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced people from all over the globe to explore dynamic working situations and make the best of what is available. Working from desks has slowly shifted towards a ‘working from couch’ situation for many. However, even though the situation sounds very rosy, it isn’t always so. While working from home gets rid of the commute, it also takes away a person’s ‘me time’ when they’re unavailable for any work or home problems. Being locked down at home in the absence of domestic help is causing people more stress than before the pandemic. It’s resulting in work from home burnout, a condition none of us saw coming!
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According to the World Health Organisation, work from home burnout is an actual occupational phenomenon and it must not be ignored. Symptoms of a burnout include irritability, mood swings, anxiety, headache, body ache, fatigue, and a loss of rational thinking. If you’re dealing with these symptoms, please know that you are not alone. Here are some tips to help you manage and treat your work from home burnout.
1. Reset your routine
While working from home, many of us tend to slip into a more comfortable situation. We begin to ignore our routines and miss out on proper meal timings too. Therefore, it becomes essential to pause and reset your routine to bring some structure into life.
Related: How To Work From Home More Effectively: 13 Tips To Help You
2. Find an alternative way to ‘commute’
A major part of our work life is the time spent on commuting to our workplace. With that time slashed down, many are now beginning to work from their beds. The commute to work used to act as a transition between work life and home. With that missing, things seem to be merging now and not in a good way. So, it becomes important to find an alternative way to commute to draw that transitioning line. Try a morning walk before work or an evening walk after office hours to give yourself that time away.
3. Doodle it out
The constant back-and-forth between work and household chores is bound to frustrate and irritate you. Try doodling during work breaks or brainstorming. Doodling is turning out to be quite a brain stimulator for many across the globe during this pandemic.
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4. Stretch and move frequently
Long hours of sitting in front of a laptop can lead to body aches and bad posture. Set timers for 15-minute stress-free breaks to get up and stretch your arms and back.
Related: Neck And Shoulder Exercises That Will Help You Unwind After A Hectic Day At Work
5. Remember to make notes
Acknowledge the fact that you’re managing a zillion things in limited time frames. Thus, forgetting a thing or two is absolutely normal! Give yourself some mental peace by making it a habit to note down things you need to do. Along with the big stuff for the day, add small things like taking the laundry out of the washing machine. Ticking off things adds to a sense of accomplishment and it takes the added stress off your mind.
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6. Make time for your hobbies or ‘me time’
A hobby doesn’t necessarily have to be some solid effort-based activity like painting or reading. Make some time for yourself to do something you like. It could be something even as simple as watching funny baby videos.
7. Take a break
When you’re working from home, you often avoid taking sick leave to save them for a ‘rainy day’. That basically means that you’ve been slogging nonstop with no consideration for your health and mind. Remember, the ‘work’ aspect of work from home still entitles you to take your leave.
Working from home doesn’t have to be difficult. A few tricks and management techniques can help you save yourself from a possible burnout.
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