5 Tips for Those Experiencing Remote Employee Burnout
Remote work can have the potential to make you feel guilty for taking breaks throughout the day, resulting in a higher tendency to overwork yourself and experience severe exhaustion, also known as a “burnout”.
Employee burnout is a common problem within organizations due to the mental and emotional strains that workers experience linked to hefty tasks and deadlines. As a remote employee, it’s important to remember that this can happen to you. Even if you’re someone who is known for their positivity and go-getter attitude. It’s important to remember that productivity, work-ethic, and happiness all stem from good health. And creating time for yourself to do things that lower your stress and boost your self-care regimen.
Tips for Those Experiencing a Burnout While Working Remotely
Prioritize a Daily Routine
Routines establish consistency and structure and are proven to help you maintain good habits and create positive psychological behavior. They can start off with something as simple as going to bed and waking up at the same time. Or making it a priority to eat three filling and nutritious meals a day.
When it comes to organizing your goals and holding yourself accountable, it may be beneficial to purchase a planner as a place where you write all of your daily tasks down. Don’t be discouraged if using a planner and staying consistent with new habits is difficult for you at first. During the beginning of the process, it may feel like you’re taking a minor step back before you start realizing that your daily routine is keeping you more energized and ready to conquer the workday. Be patient with the time it takes for your mind and body to adjust.
Take Advantage of Flexible Work Hours
If your company offers flex hours, understand why they are provided, and use them to your advantage. If you feel off at some point during business hours, spend a little time away from your desk to relax and take a quick breather. This can be done by taking a walk outside. Or calling a friend or family member to check-in. Or maybe making your favorite snack. Each option can reset your mind. And take you away from a task that’s causing some additional stress. This helps you feel ready to take it on with a better mindset.
You may think that stepping away from work will prolong the time it takes to complete it. But you’re actually more likely to be more productive in the long run. Be open to communicating with your manager about taking paid time off and gain knowledge on how many hours you’re provided throughout the year. Remember that these are given to you as a way for you to take some time to do activities that bring you joy. Whether that’s a hiking, organizing, or binging your favorite show with takeout. Taking time for yourself is completely acceptable and important for your well-being.
Use Apps and Online Tools
While your laptop may be your workday go-to for daily collaboration and productivity, the same (if not more) can be utilized on your smartphone too. These digital assistants don’t have to be an online calendar or a to-do list.
Other aspects of your day-to-day, like financial, fitness, and nutritional habits can be tracked on your mobile device as well, which helps to promote self-care. As a remote employee who wants to break this barrier, download tools that can help you achieve your daily goals. For your finances, money calculators, spending trackers, and other online budgeting solutions can help you organize your expenses to limit money-related stress. There are even online banking opportunities that help you take control of your finances and provide features that can help you get out of a challenging situation. Financial wellness is imperative for everyone, and apps are only making it easier and more convenient. Take advantage of the tools that can make both your work and personal life stress-free!
While working from home, it’s important to take care of yourself from a nutritional standpoint too. Fitness apps and food diaries can assist you in tracking what you eat on a daily basis, motivate you to purchase nutritional items at the store, and maintain a good fitness routine. As a part of a distributed team, working out and eating healthy throughout the day can help you obtain more energy going into the workday, as well as help you to conquer the rest. This ensures you being your most productive self and feeling your best while working for a company that needs your abilities.
Seek Guidance through Employee Wellness Programs
Although employee wellness programs are more common within small and medium-sized companies, they are becoming increasingly popular within all types of corporations due to the success they bring to remote employee happiness. Workplaces are doing more to provide for their employees with benefits beyond parental leave, paid time off, and healthcare. If you need help with setting up the right employee benefits program for your team, there are plenty of employee benefits providers out there.
Through employee health programs, professionals are able to give you the skills and tools needed to motivate and encourage you to work through personal issues that could be affecting your work. They also provide a lot of support for those who might have certain concerns about their health and are known to lower certain health risks for remote employees.
Have a Dedicated Workspace
For employees that go into the office, there is a constant separation between work and home life. As a remote worker, home is where both job-related and life responsibilities take place, so it can be hard to feel like you’re prioritizing your well-being with those responsibilities beginning to blend. To help ease the association of work feeling like part of your personal life, choose a designated area within your home, and label that as your “work only” space. That way, when you are finished with the workday, you can completely feel like you’re signing off for the day.
How your workspace is organized can also have an impact on your productivity level. Try to keep your desk area tidy and clean. Also take the time to organize your workspace by going through files and other folders that hold important documents. Determine the ones that can be removed from your desktop, to not only reduce storage, but to make your screen look cleaner.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help when it comes to managing employee burnout. Depending on your job’s workload, it might be necessary to take time for yourself in order to be the best employee you can be.
How to avoid a burnout while working remotely
- Prioritize a daily routine
Routines establish consistency and structure and are proven to help you maintain good habits and create positive psychological behavior.
- Take advantage of flexible work hours
If you feel off at some point during business hours, spend a little time away from your desk to relax and take a quick breather.
- Use apps and online tools
Take advantage of the tools that can make both your work and personal life stress-free!
- Seek guidance through employee wellness programs
Workplaces are doing more to provide for their employees with benefits beyond parental leave, paid time off, and healthcare.
- Have a Dedicated Workspace
To ease the association of work feeling like part of your personal life, choose a designated area within your home, and label that as your “work only” space.
