Working from home has numerous perks, such as convenience and the freedom to work from anywhere. However, it isn’t always glamorous. In fact, remote workers are incredibly prone to burnout. The Conversation reports that 41% of remote workers have admitted to higher stress levels compared to office workers. Because when your home is your office, it becomes much harder to separate your personal life from work. As such, plenty of remote workers are prone to clocking in more hours than is healthy.
If you’re a remote worker looking for more balance and want to avoid burning out, then you have to make some changes to your lifestyle. From working outside to scheduling your day around your needs, here are five things you can do to avoid a burnout.
Set your priorities
Without the work structure of a traditional office, it’s difficult to know which tasks need to be done ASAP and which ones you can leave for tomorrow. As such, it can be tempting to squeeze all your tasks in one go. But as the age-old adage goes: it’s more important to work smart, not work harder.
If you don’t know where to start, Workplaceless CEO Tammy Bjelland recommends asking yourself the following questions:
• What will actually make me feel accomplished?
• What will have a direct impact on the success of [this] business?
Prioritize your work based on your answers. Consider speaking with management about your challenges and introduce the idea of WFH survey questions. Is checking emails every hour really necessary? Will micromanaging your projects actually help the business? If the answer is no, set the tasks aside for another time and work on something that has a higher priority or even get some rest.
Make the time for exercise
Studies on CNet notes how moving your body has been shown to help with stress, plus the endorphin burst can help set you up for a better mood. Whether it’s going to the gym, joining a fitness class, or simply going for a run around your neighborhood, it’s worth setting aside an hour (or even less) for exercise. And as you work at home you are not restricted to a short lunch break to exercise in.
Get a change of scenery
Distractions are some of the leading hindrances at home, as we’ve discussed in ‘5 Essential Tips to Run Your Home Office Efficiently’. After all, it’s hard to concentrate when your bed and TV are right beside you. As such, switching up your scenery every now and then is a good way to help you focus. For this reason, co-working spaces are a great option. Industrious details how co-working spaces can easily replicate an office environment with private rooms for individual work, conference rooms for client and team meetings, and common rooms that can be used for networking. Such spaces are built to bring out the best in every worker — whether you’re a freelancer, solo entrepreneur, or running your own business. Not only does it give you a conducive place to work, it immerses you in a healthy community of like-minded professionals you wouldn’t otherwise meet if you stayed at home.
Maintain a social life
Remote working means that you may not get the social privileges of bouncing ideas off of other colleagues, or having lunch with co-workers. In his book The Happiness Advantage, author Shawn Achor found that social connections and friendships drastically help in boosting happiness and reducing stress. So even if you’re the type to enjoy alone time, it still helps to spend time with others—even if it’s just to get coffee with a friend, or calling your mom.
Use the power of technology
If the load gets too much, there’s no harm in turning to technology to lighten your burden. Inc recommends some apps to help you get organized and be more productive, like Trello and Things 3. On the other hand, Zapier can help automate certain processes such as downloading attachments, creating invoices, adding new clients, and more. Though these tasks may seem small, you’d be surprised how much the apps can lighten your workload through taking care of certain chores. Whatever you need help with, there’s usually a tool that fits the bill.
At the end of the day, it’s important to know your limits. If you feel like you’re working too hard, don’t be afraid to take a quick break. After all, no car can run on empty fuel. You’ll thank yourself later.
For more tips on how to work efficiently and career insights, explore this website.