Beating the Burnout: Where to begin?
Whether you're an employee or employer, navigating work-from-home burnout is a skill worth acquiring.
Working from the comfort of your home definitely has its perks – no one can tell you to change out of your sweatpants even if it's 2pm, laundry makes it to the dryer in an appropriate amount of time, dogs receive more love, and you spend much less time commuting during traffic hour. It's a win all around, right?
Perhaps!
Depending on who you are and your ability to establish routine on your own, you might thrive in the work-from-home environment. Others, however, may struggle to feel motivated, face anxiety, feel overwhelmed by the demand from pets, family or roommates, or wrestle with unhealthy lifestyle habits like late nights and reduced physical activity.
Fortunately, regardless of what end of the spectrum you're on, if you're an employer, employee or freelancer, there are things you can do to tackle burnout head on. Consider these tips gathered from companies across the nation.
If you're an employer:
According to Virgin Pulse, getting managers to tune in before employees tune out is important for high performance and engagement. How to do so?
• Deliver comprehensive training on best practices for managing work-from-home teams
• Encourage managers to learn employees' work-from-home routines and flexibility needs (ex: working parents might need to take an earlier lunch or jump offline earlier in the evening)
• Stay in regular communication with team members – touching base throughout the week, setting clear expectations and showing that you genuinely care about their well-being and success
Kristin Markey, founder of Nest Health Connections, suggests employers also supply employees with practical information about and tips for managing stress, anxiety and burnout:
"At Nest, we offer a variety of resources and programming to reduce stress and anxiety – including guided meditations and mindfulness seminars, the design and construction of workplace relaxation spaces and gardens, unique health challenges, discussions led by wellness industry leaders, mid-day workouts with top fitness trainers, lunch-and-learns on topics like sleep and emotional well-being, and so much more! By inspiring employees to start with small changes, our hope is that their health will benefit greatly in the long run."
If you're a full-time employee:
It's important that you schedule out time to do something that brings you joy. Do you enjoy walking? Are you working your way through a new cookbook? Have you discovered a new yoga studio in your neighborhood that has a mid-day flow? If possible, schedule time to do something that invigorates you outside of work each day. It'll break up the workday and help you manage stress.
And "don't forget about your vacation time," says Becca from Half Half Travel.
Take a Mental Health Day, consider reserving one Friday each quarter for time spent away from work, or entertain the idea of stepping out of the office early every now and then for an afternoon for yourself. When possible, take advantage of your vacation time in a way that feels appropriate for your workload and well-being.
Finally, if you're a freelancer:
One word: boundaries.
It's important that you set boundaries surrounding how often you work and when you are available. Make it clear in your initial consultations with new clients, or in follow-up conversations with current ones, that your availability is intentionally structured to support your mental health and overall work-life balance.
Additionally, paying extra attention to your distractions is imperative.
"When not actively aware of surrounding distractions, people can fill the majority of their work hours with social media, socializing, texting, or eating," shares Alli Saunders, a freelance writer for Storyblocks.
"Because of this, studies show that, on average, some people work productively for only 2 hours and 53 minutes a day.... [E]liminating distractions from your environment can significantly increase your productivity and reduce burnout."
Check out these tips for putting this concept into practice.
Nest Health Connections
Nest Health Connections is a corporate wellness company revolutionizing health and happiness in the workplace. We create holistic customized wellness programs for employers and their employees.