Since the pandemic has hit us, our ways of life have taken a total 360-degree turn; everything is bound to the four walls of our homes. However, remote working isn’t something that only became prevalent during this pandemic; many people around the world have successfully been working remotely for years.
As everything has its upsides and downsides, working from home likewise has pros and cons. In 2019, the WHO pronounced burnout as a real disease. Almost certainly telecommuting is more agreeable and simple. And yet telecommuting brings a ton of physical as well as mental weight and stress.
75% of working from home employees experienced burnout; about 40% of those people mentioned the COVID-19 pandemic as a catalyst in this process.
Working from home stress was increasing already; now that this global pandemic has hit us, almost all of us from every stratum is suffering through remote working burnout. A survey taken by FlexJobs and Mental Health America (MHA) shows that 75% of working from home employees experienced burnout; about 40% of those people mentioned the COVID-19 pandemic as a catalyst in this process.
Even though remote working comes with many benefits and a high level of productivity, the stress and burnout rate is a real and unavoidable topic.
To avoid burnouts as one works from home, taking care of yourself mentally and physically and bringing some changes to your everyday routine is very important. The first step in overcoming any problem or issue is to recognise it. Once you know the cause of your burnouts and exhaustion, you can manage to bring some changes to avoid these in future.
Let us talk about some causes of burnouts during remote working and the most appropriate cures to these issues.
The thing about remote work is that your work hours are endless. There is no set start or endpoint for working. The moment you open your eyes, as a person who already works from home or someone who is being forced to do so due to this pandemic, the first thing you do is check your emails. And so your day starts with a long list of pending work.
The nagging and pressure start building up at the back of your mind. As working from home saves time from all the hassle of getting ready to go for an 8-hour job; it also makes you a workaholic who wants to do more and more.
These hours of working from home are way more than the 8-hour office job as you are on your gadgets throughout your day. And once the cycle of working from home hours starts, there is no going back; however, hours keep adding and adding. You get addicted to the idea of sitting at your bed, making cash. But little do you know that these hours in front of your laptop placed on your mid-century desk is directly causing fatigue, leaving you mentally drained.
Regardless of how much work you have forthcoming, when you set up a timetable and an appropriate everyday practice, things, in the end, begin falling into place. You will stay productive and motivated simultaneously.
Add breaks to your timetable. Your body is comprised of a fragile living creature, and blood needs energy! What is the point of making more money if your body and mind suffers in the long run? You shouldn’t overlook your social and recreational activity; the standard you’ve set up will assist you with keeping it on target. By setting a timetable for all of these activities in your day and week, you are permitting your body to rest and giving yourself time to think and reflect.
Presumably, numerous individuals while telecommuting, work in gatherings and groups. However, telecommuting implies there is no up close and personal contact with your colleagues. If you are somebody who likes to take a lead in venture works, there are high odds of your partners retreating and all the work falling on your shoulders.
As you work remotely, there may be times when your co-workers won’t be steady enough and you are left isolated with a huge load of work.
The human body is an organic machine. Though it is capable of doing many tasks at a time, overburdening it can cause some major issues and eventually burnout.
We live in a modern era of technology and Wi-Fi. Everything can be well-coordinated if communication is executed properly. You can set up online meetings and video calls for your brainstorming sessions.
Form teams for the discussion of topics and any other matters where you need input from others.
Don’t hesitate in sharing your burden with your colleagues. Even if working from home does not have the same charm as working in person with your group members, keeping in touch through video calls and group interaction can keep the spirit intact.
Once a person starts remote working, they forget the aura and ambiance of their home. Even their cozy room feels like an office cubicle. Another important factor contributing to burning out is distractions.
You either end up feeling like you work in a boring, dull place or working in a chaotic room that is full of distractions. Nothing in between. Both of these lead to unproductive work hours. Once a person starts procrastinating, their stress levels increase as they realize they have more and more undone work that lies ahead.
As stress triggers, it alters our normal mental functioning and causes mistakes and errors in our work.
Instead of being all over the place, turn an area in your house into a workplace. Try setting up a specific area as your productivity space. This productivity space can also be handy when it comes to avoiding distractions. Add some plants and colour to give it a fresh feeling. There is nothing extra you need to invest in this place. Get a small corner, add a desk and a chair, you are good to go!
Instead of being all over the place, turn an area in your house into a workplace.
At present, we are largely accepting working from home as an opportunity for better work, yet we overlook that each opportunity or favourable position accompanies a couple of challenges. You need to take time away from your work to avoid the burnout caused by constant accessibility for work at home. Accept the way things are, and remember to take breaks!
Shawn Mack is a content writer who offers ghostwriting, copy-writing, and blogging services. His educational background in business and technical field has given him a broad base from which to approach many topics.
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