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Working from home undoubtedly has its benefits. No commute means you can save time and money (as well as getting a few more minutes of shut-eye!) Extra time before and after work can mean more at-home tasks can be accomplished and time can be made for family and self care. There are plenty of wins when it comes to overall wellbeing and to work-life balance when working from home.
But working from home also comes with its own challenges. In fact, according to employment platform, Monster, over two thirds of employees reported experiencing burnout while working from home.
So what can you do if work from home burnout is affecting you or your team? Here's a few suggestions that may help.
1. Reduce Virtual Meetings
We've likely all had those days where we feel like we're hopping from Zoom call to Zoom call, slowly getting more and more worn out, while accomplishing little to none of the work we need to get done that day. It can be incredibly draining. How do we change this?
For one, consider doing "walking phone meetings". If screen sharing isn't necessary and it's a 1-on-1 or a small meeting, why not hop on a call and head out for a walk in the fresh air while you connect instead? Secondly, aim to leave time between meetings. Even just a short break can improve focus and productivity, which means we get more done in less time and feel better overall.
2. Encourage self care
Despite the majority of employees feeling burnout while working from home, that same survey found that 59% of people were taking less time off than they normally would. We all need time away to recharge. If you're in a leadership role, have you checked in with your team to see if they need a break? A week off or even just a self-care day can go a long way. Team members can sometimes feel guilty about taking time off but pushing through for too long can ultimately lead to burn out. So rather than toughing it out, give yourself and your team members the encouragement needed to take time off. In the long run, you'll come back stronger.
3. Find and offer supports
As they say, knowledge is power. And the more you know about what's causing your burnout, and what you can do about it, the better. If you are leading others, reach out to your team to see how they're doing and what they think would have the biggest impact on their wellbeing. Or if you're the one in burnout, is there a way for you to start a conversation with your manager or team leader to express what you feel you need?
We have found virtual wellness sessions to be a great way to empower teams, and to also give them an opportunity to connect with each other while they learn. Our Stress & Burnout session, for example, is an interactive workshop that provides participants the opportunity to share their experiences and learn from each other, while also receiving some valuable tools from our wellness experts on how they can reduce their risk of burnout. Email us through the form at the bottom of this page to learn more.