For many people, working from home has increased their productivity. Nevertheless, others have struggled to make the transition. This has become especially difficult now that more and more offices are switching to a permanent work from home policy. So, what can you do if you’re struggling to stay productive while working from home? Here are a few tips:
Create a designated workspace
While working from home, you may be tempted to do your work on the couch or even in bed. But this can easily cause you to get distracted. Suddenly you’re watching TV or looking through social media rather doing your work. To get you in the right mindset, create a designated workspace. Ideally, this would be a separate room in your house, but if you don’t have the room, a small corner in your living room will do just fine, too.
Plan out your day
Creating a structured, daily schedule can commit you to your work. How you create that schedule will depend on your own preferences. Some people do just fine with a to-do list, while others plan out exactly what they’re going to do each hour of the workday.
Take a break
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. It also makes Jack a stressed boy. The more stressed you are, the less productive you are. As such, try to schedule a few breaks into your workday. Go outside, take a walk, or listen to a meditation practice to help you step away from your work. You’ll come back more rejuvenated than ever before.
Find out your most productive time of day
You’ll read dozens of articles that encourage people to get up early and get to work as soon as possible. And while this may work for some people, it may not work for everyone. Different people are productive at different times of the day. As a result, you’ll want to structure your schedule so that your most important work is done during those most productive hours. But how do you know when you’re most productive? Read over this article to help you find out.
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Any modern-day student or worker is more than familiar with burnout. It’s that feeling of utter physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion, brought on by a relentless workload and prolonged stress. However, many thought they might get a break from the burnout cycle with everyone working from home. This couldn’t be further from the truth.
Due to a mixed bag of pandemic anxiety, economic woes, and an increasingly blurring line between our work and home lives, more and more Americans are falling prey to work-from-home burnout.
Thankfully, it doesn’t have to be this way. With a few lifestyle adjustments, you can recharge your batteries and find better ways to cope with stress and anxiety.
How to Spot Work-From-Home Burnout
The first step in treating work-from-home burnout is recognizing it in the first place. The critical thing to look out for is the persistence of your exhaustion or anxiety. If you can’t seem to sit down and relax, or if you wake up to each morning with dread, you may be suffering from burnout.
Here are a few more signs to look out for:
Difficulty starting or completing tasks
Losing track of tasks
Lack of motivation and increasing apathy towards work
Mood changes
Poor sleep or insomnia
Other physical symptoms, such as chest pain, gastrointestinal distress, headaches, heart palpitations, etc.
How to Treat It
Work-from-home burnout is different from other kinds of burnout. You don’t have that work-life separation as you did in the office, so it’s easier for your work-life to creep in and disrupt your home-life. This is why you have to create clear set boundaries and stick to them to regain any sense of normalcy again.
Set office hours
Sure, you’re not in an office, but you can trick your mind into thinking that you are by creating office hours. This will provide further boundaries between your work and home life, teaching your brain when to focus on work and when to focus on the home.
Take time off
Taking some time off may seem silly during a pandemic, but it can do wonders for your mental health. It gives you a chance to unplug and step away from your work for a few days. You don’t even have to go out for the weekend to experience the benefits. Put all of your work equipment away, turn off your email notifications, and relax for the next few days.
Create a workspace
A dedicated workspace can also provide a better boundary between your work and home life. Preferably, your workspace should be in a separate room that you can close it off from the rest of the house once you’ve finished working. If you don’t have space, you can create a small workspace with a desk, chair, and more. Once you’ve completed work for the day, turn everything off and don’t touch that area until the next day.
