Three Tips to Avoid Work From Home Burnout

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No matter your industry or office culture, we can all fall victim to burnout at any time. High volumes of stress and overwork can lead to a state of physical or emotional exhaustion. While working from home comes with many benefits, it also has its challenges, like feeling isolated, lack of routine, and difficulty unplugging from work devices.

Burnout isn’t subject to those working from a facility outside of your home. Remote workers are just as prone to burnout as the rest of the workforce, and knowing what to do to prevent it can save you from a lot of stress and headaches. Below are three tips to avoid work from home burnout.

Take breaks from your screen

Yes, having the option to work from home is a blessing, but it doesn’t mean that you’re not allowed to take breaks when you need them. While electronic devices give us the liberty to work from anywhere around the world, they sometimes also make us feel like we must always be online and available. That’s not the case.

Allow yourself to step away from your desk throughout the workday. Take a walk around the block, enjoy a snack, or catch up with your partner working in the other room.

Set boundaries

In addition to stepping away from your work throughout the day to take breaks, you should also permit yourself to step away from work during non-work hours. If your job requires 9 am to 5 pm availability, then you shouldn’t be expected to be by your desk and working at 7 pm.

By setting boundaries, you reclaim your time and space. Sure, your work life and home life might be a little blended, but it doesn’t mean you should be available 24/7. If it wasn’t expected when you worked in person, it shouldn’t be expected now.

Take time off

I’ve never understood the resistance around taking time off. After all, you earned that time. Will your co-workers need your expertise while you’re gone? Sure, maybe. But the company should not fall apart because you took a week off to take care of yourself. If it does crumble into pieces, then the foundation wasn’t sturdy enough to begin with.

If you can, try taking a day off every few weeks for some personal time. I love doing this on a Friday because it helps me relax and decompress after a long week. Give it a try!