In the world of technology, fast-paced culture and rapidly changing innovations are nothing new. Adaptation to disruption is the key to success in just about any industry and sector, and it seems the rest of the world is beginning to find this out throughout the past couple of months, as well.
With that in mind, I wanted to take a brief look at how we can avoid burnout while working remotely in a Covid/post-Covid world. As many companies continue to stay remote (and maybe even think about going remote long-term), it’s likely the way we work is going to change a lot, and for people who aren’t used to disruption, curveballs are expected.
Let’s dive in.
What is Burnout?
First, let’s address burnout quickly. Burnout isn’t the same thing as having a hard week at work or experiencing the stresses of the day-to-day. Burnout is much more pernicious, and it’s something that runs the risk of being much more long-term. Burnout can stem from a variety of personal or professional underlying factors, and in severe cases it can lead to poor performance and, subsequently, a loss of a job. For some better ways on how to identify burnout, I recommend this source.
Schedule
It’s easy while working remote to let the hard lines you set up for that seemingly ever-evasive work/life balance to all but dissipate. This is especially true for people with children. A very important way to maintain sanity and happiness while working from home is to set up a schedule. Get up at the same time everyday, workout, have your quiet time, take a lunch break. Whatever you need to do to set yourself up for success is absolutely paramount.
Taking Breaks
A benefit of remote work that many people fail to really take advantage of is the freedom it gives you (note, you can still have freedom within the confines of a schedule). Office work can sometimes prove to be more constraining than we like, and sometimes at the detriment of our effectiveness. Feeling stuck? Take a walk around the block. Feeling tired? Get up, do some stretches, or even take a power nap if you need to! One of the most important things – and I can’t stress this enough – is to set up a schedule and to do so in a way that is conducive to your efficiency and effectiveness.
While this is far from an exhaustive list, I do hope some of these tips, as simple as they may be, can help bring some light and betterment to your remote work!