Having used our living space as a workspace for more than two years now, it is natural to feel the burnout now. Here are a few tips you can follow to avoid burnout while working remotely!
Remote Work, aka Work From Home (WFH) or Telecommuting, is a flexible arrangement that allows employees to work from a location other than the company’s headquarters. This arrangement can assist assure work-life balance, access to professional prospects, or reduced commuting costs for employees who can complete work offshore.
Higher employee satisfaction, increased retention, increased productivity, and cost savings on physical resources are all advantages for the organisation. Remote work can be done on a temporary or permanent basis, part-time or full-time, occasionally or frequently. Policies governing device use, network security, and performance standards are all required for remote work.
Even before the global pandemic of 2020 made working from home a reality for millions of people, an increasing number of workers were saying goodbye to their long commutes. It’s no longer necessary to be in the office full time to be a productive part of the team, thanks to ever-evolving technology like Skype, FaceTime, Slack, Zoom, Google Hangouts, authenticator apps, and cloud computing—not to mention texting and email. Many forms of work can be done equally, if not better, from the comfort of your home office.
Employees may find remote work enticing, but employers also see the benefits from their side of the desk. New Harvard Business School research shows that companies with work-from-anywhere rules can increase employee productivity, minimise turnover, and lower organisational expenses. Telecommuting employees with highly sophisticated professions that do not require much teamwork or social support can outperform their office-based counterparts. A distributed workforce is also better positioned to keep operations going in the case of a natural or man-made disaster, even if some of the group falls offline.
Whether you like or dislike working from home, surveys show that it is here to stay for many businesses and people. You could want to make working from home a permanent option for your staff, or at least a permanent choice for them. And you may be working from home constantly.
Working from home has several obvious benefits, like no travel time, a more relaxed dress code, more control over your schedule, and no need to pay for takeout coffee or food. However, there are some significant drawbacks.
Here are a few ways you can avoid burnout while working remotely-
- Stepping Outdoors
Stay-at-home directives have become highly literal to some of us. It’s all too simple to sit in our houses all day, with endless streaming video options and everything we need access for delivery. It may also appear safer at a time when Covid-19 infection rates are on the rising. However, staying indoors the entire time isn’t always healthy, and participating in outdoor activities also lowers the risk of infection. So, if at all feasible, get out for a walk several times a week, if not every day.
- Have a Social Life
Your employment is essential to your social life, even if you don’t realise it. And because of the epidemic, your other customary social activities, such as school events, club meetings, or musical concerts, may also be reduced. It’s critical to avoid becoming isolated, as this is terrible for your morale and may lead to despair and even death. So, as difficult as it may be these days, prioritise your social life. Meet up with a friend or coworker for a socially separated stroll. Alternatively, set up a virtual happy hour. Socialising, even over video chat, is preferable to spending your time alone and relying solely on your family or household members for social engagement. So spend the time and effort maintaining as much social engagement as possible. Your productivity, health, and mood will all improve as a result.
- Get Things Done – Now.
When people work from home, their productivity rises, but so do their challenges with self-motivation and procrastination. When you’re at a bustling workplace surrounded by busy coworkers, it’s simpler to get to work than when you’re at home alone with the TV or gaming console just a few steps away. There are a variety of ways to fight procrastination. The most important thing to remember is to be kind to yourself. Remember that procrastination is frequently caused by anxiety, which we are all experiencing nowadays.
- Be in Touch with People.
One of the reasons why so many of us tend to overwork when we work from home is the fear of missing out. Even if everyone at your firm works from home, it’s challenging to get rid of the nagging feeling that things and discussions are going on that you should be aware of but aren’t. If some individuals at your firm are working in the office while you’re working from home, the feeling might be even more potent—and research shows that people who work from home risk losing their jobs in this case.
Increased communication is the best antidote to FOMO in either case. Even if it is just to check in or say hello, pick up the phone and contact a colleague or direct report. Suppose you’re curious about talks or meetings taking place without your knowledge. In that case, the simplest option is to ask your coworkers about significant projects or concerns and if there’s anything you’re missing out on.
- Set Boundaries.
You may feel obligated to compensate for your absence from the office by being available 24 hours a day to answer emails or handle difficulties. That’s a particular issue for entrepreneurs who can’t readily disconnect from their work obligations. It may not be easy to imagine yourself away from work if your office is now in your living room or bedroom. However, you must do so. It would help if you detached entirely from your job for a portion of each day and week, or your performance, mental and physical health, and, eventually, your company will suffer.
Separate your workplace from your living space by putting it in a separate room or a screen. Make sure your clients, workers, and anybody with whom you work know that you may not be able to respond to business requests at all times.
- Minimise Interruptions.
You can get unexpected interruptions from your spouse, partner, roommate, or kids, who don’t realise you’re still at work even though you’re at home. Working from home while caring for little children is a unique challenge requiring additional assistance from employers and other family members.
Set proper limits for adults and older children in your family so they know when it’s okay to chat with you or enter your workspace and when it’s not. Be creative, and don’t shy away from setting boundaries with your family.
Are there other ways you have avoided burnout? Share your tips and tricks with us! Alternatively, you can visit www.oahfeo.com to book yourself a spot in our motivating and well-equipped CoWorking spaces!
