Working remotely takes a different mindset than working in your typical office. Being forced to work from home due to a global pandemic adds a new level of strain to your work life. In most cases, your company wasn’t prepared to go remote and now you’re stuck in Microsoft Teams repeating the same things you said in an email a few hours ago. Working from home requires a level of detail you might not need while in the office and it can lead to burnout. Here are a few tips that I try to follow to avoid burnout working from home.
Resist the temptation to multitask during meetings
When I first started working from home a few years ago, I was always included in the 2-hour meetings that could have been an email. I picked up the habit of multitasking during meetings because of those meetings. Every meeting I would have Amazon open on my second monitor or I would continue working on a project that I felt was more important than this meeting.
I had no idea that multitasking like this constantly was wearing my brain down. Forcing my brain to process multiple things simultaneously is unnecessary. There were times that I would miss out on important information or just feel overwhelmed by everything that I was doing. I treat meetings like a mental break and a great opportunity to have human contact. Be fully present and you won’t regret it.
Schedule Breaks
Just because your working from home doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have a schedule for breaks. I’ve had coding sessions where I was sitting down for 4 – 6 hours and didn’t realize it. I personally recommend using the app Focus Keeper. Focus Keeper helps schedule work breaks and even lunch breaks. It takes some time to get used to but when after a few days you’ll see the effects of the breaks kick in.
Delete All Your Work Apps
Companies rushed their entire business into remote environments and weren’t prepared. I consulted for a company that was using Slack, Microsoft Teams, and email and it was creating huge communication issues. Every time your phone dings from a work notification can have you losing your mind quickly. The best thing to do is delete all your work apps off your phone. There has to be some separation from your job. I have an iPad that I keep all my work apps on with a Logitech wireless keyboard when I need to be mobile, but as soon as I’m off the clock I turn Do Not Disturb on it. You work from home but you don’t work 24/7
Create A Work From Home Project
Give yourself a project that you can work on during your breaks. Something you can think about while going for a walk or just sitting outside. An easy project is planning out a quarantine staycation. One of my projects has been planning a vacation once things get back to normal. Mainly looking for attractions and great sights in some of the top destinations that I have. Doing research on surviving troublesome airports and other travel tips.
Invest In Your Mental Health
One of the best tips you can get from all this. Working from home and being stuck in one environment can lead to some undesired feelings and not everyone knows how to navigate through them. I tried Betterhelp but didn’t get the results I was hoping for. I finally tried out TalkSpace and I can’t recommend it enough. Talkspace has options for chat and video sessions. Try out Talkspace now and get $200 off.
Suggestions
Everyone has their own way of avoiding burnout working from home, so tell me how are you doing it?
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