Beat Work-From-Home Burnout

At the start of the year, you probably had a routine as you went about your day. Maybe your drive or train ride gave you time to prepare for that big meeting at work. Maybe you looked forward to connecting with clients and colleagues over a lunch meeting. Maybe you enjoyed the hustle and bustle of the general company culture.

Fast forward to today, when the monotony of yet another virtual meeting has you feeling exhausted, unfocused and unproductive. Sure, you may not be putting in long hours at the office these days, but you can still get worn down working from home. Here are three tips to help beat work-from-home burnout.

1. SET BOUNDARIES — AND OFFICE HOURS.

The “new normal” of remote work has blurred the lines between our personal and professional lives. According to a report by NordVPN Teams, American workers are logging on for an additional three hours per day, essentially replacing their commute with more time at their desks. While marathon workdays can be OK from time to time (deadlines are still important), don’t make it a habit. Set consistent work hours and stick to them. Consider activating an out-of-office response outside of your determined time block to let your coworkers and clients know you’re unavailable until the next day.

2. PRIORITIZE IMPORTANT TASKS.

Does your day constantly feel like a race against time? Are you overwhelmed with answering emails, responding to chats and sending meeting requests? First, limit communication — i.e. check your email once or twice and close out of any communication apps that can be a time suck when you’re in deep work mode. Then, figure out what tasks you spend the most time on versus what needs to be done and prioritize, delegate or eliminate.

3. GIVE YOURSELF SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO.

Whether it’s planning a weekly movie night with the kids, Saturday night cocktails with your spouse or simply taking the occasional day off, it’s important to fit some fun into your busy schedule. Taking the time to focus on yourself and unplug completely from work lets you relax and recharge, which is important to your mental health.

If you still find yourself struggling to balance your work and home life, don’t be afraid to turn to therapy if you need it. These professionals can be incredibly useful resources to talk through the issues you’re experiencing and come up with a plan that works to strengthen your mental health and put you on the path to becoming a happier, healthier individual — and colleague.