Working remotely poses many challenges. Connectivity and schedules are some of the most usual hiccups. However, once the more immediate issues are solved, a new problem arises: How to avoid burnout when working remotely?
In fact, remote work is far from being an easy endeavor and can cause its own brand of exhaustion. Keep the following guidelines in mind to avoid the pitfalls you’ll face while working from home.
Enforce Boundaries to Avoid Burnout When Working Remotely
The most important principle to keep your balance when working remotely is enforcing boundaries. They may be time boundaries or space boundaries. However, it’s important that you identify them, set them and enforce them. Designate a specific time and place for work and make sure you respect those limits, while allowing for some flexibility whenever it’s in order.
Don’t Neglect Your Appearance
When you work from home it’s easy to neglect your appearance. Make a conscious effort to dress professionally, like you would if you were going to an office for a meeting. Don’t let your standards slip as time goes by. This not only will help you make a more professional impression, but it will also allow you to maintain a more structured approach, which is exactly what remote workers need.
Set Priorities
A common mistake people make when working remotely is allotting more time than necessary to the easier tasks. This increases productivity in the short run, but it may lead to burnout. Instead, be sure to focus on your top-priorities and use that as the criteria to pace your work.
Allow Yourself to Enjoy Little Things
Remote work can be stressful. If forces people to adapt to new ways of communication and it can blur the boundaries between work and personal life. That’s why it’s important to learn to give yourself the chance to enjoy the little things that bring you joy. It may be a nice meal, a cup of coffee or the spending time with your children or your partner. Whatever it is for you, make sure to make the most of the things that make you smile.
Communicate Often With Your Teammates
Being separated physically doesn’t mean that you should stop communicating with your coworkers and your employer. Strive to keep exchanging ideas with them. Use video meetings, but also phone calls, chat, e-mail and any other channel available to you. Constant communication has the benefit of keeping you in the loop. Besides, human interaction is a needed (and welcome) stimulus when your work from home.