10 Ways to Avoid Work Burnout for Remote Employees

As many companies now offer remote roles, many employees find themselves in a work-from-home employment situation.

For some employees, this is a blessing, as they don’t have to waste their time on a commute. They also get to save on gas, lunches, and other expenses they’d typically have when working in an office.

Possibly the biggest benefit of working remotely is the fact that as a remote employee, you are not limited to job ads in your area. You can work for your dream company regardless of where its offices may be.

However, there is also a dark side to remote working, which is that, if you’re not careful, the work never stops. As there is no clear distinction between working hours and free time, the first can easily spill over. It can significantly harm your work-life balance, and cause an even bigger problem - burnout.

What You Need to Know About Work Burnout

Work burnout is chronic fatigue or stress at work, which can cause physical and mental health problems. It may be caused by a lack of communication with superiors or team members, unreasonable time pressure, an overwhelming workload, and unclear work descriptions or roles.

Harvard Business Review surmised that burnout affects the workplace and company, not the employee alone. To avoid this, businesses should amp up their remote employee engagement and give ample support to their remote employees.

From the business side, employee burnout can hurt a business as it usually results in poor employee productivity and fast employee turnover. According to the Harvard Business Review, work burnout costs the U. S. economy more than $500 billion.

Another World Health Organization study shows that the global workforce burnout costs are estimated to be $1 billion. This WHO study also shows that some who are most susceptible to burnout can eventually lead to having serious mental health problems.

How can you tell if you’re experiencing burnout?

Most work burnout symptoms may not be noticeable right away. Some may deny that they are overworking or not recognize that they are already experiencing work burnout.

But what are the tell-tale symptoms of work burnout especially for remote workers? Let’s look at these signs so you can tell if you or your other teammates are suffering from any or most of these:

• Being in a work-from-home setup may drive some employees to go above and beyond. Keep an eye on your feelings. Note if you feel guilty or like you are not working enough because you work from home.

• You might be neglecting their own needs like regular meals or sleeping.

• You are holed up at work and do not engage in interests outside of work. You may also withdraw from family, colleagues, and friends.

• Note any changes in behavior such as becoming more irritable or having swinging moods that may be brought about by work stress, depression, and anxiety.

While these can be noticeable, they can also fly under the radar for a long time. It’s important for both you and your employer to understand the signs of burnout. It is even more important to address it as quickly as possible.

How to prevent burnout as a remote employee?

Work burnout is a prevalent issue that needs to be discussed as comprehensively as possible. Burnout is not something that can be solved quickly with a week-long vacation, or simply staying in bed over the weekend.

It usually takes a lot of investment from the employee side. Some psychotherapists say that “It can take anywhere from a few months to a few years,” to recover from burnout.

So, the best way to cure burnout is to prevent it from happening and taking hold of you. Consider these 10 ways to help you avoid work burnout:

1. How about a routine?

If you are used to a certain routine before starting work, continue to embrace that routine even as you immerse in the work-from-home culture. If listening to lively music while answering emails upbeats your day, then just continue to do that.

Try to avoid jumping out of bed and opening your laptop immediately for a meeting. Having a routine before work will help you jumpstart your day and stay productive for the rest of your workday.

2. Stick to working hours.

There are 24 hours in a day but that does not necessarily mean that you need to spend more than half a day working. Decide on your normal working hours with your employer. Also, give a heads-up to your co-workers about what times you will be online and what your work parameters are. It’s also important that you stick to them, so you do not find yourself working the whole day.

The work-from-home setup can be tempting to stay in front of your laptop hour after hour to get an extra thing or two done. Make it a goal to resist this temptation. Try to schedule something after working hours at first, so that you have a reason to leave work on time.

3. Assign and design your working area.

Are you working from your bed? Are you all over the house – kitchen table, living room, or garage? Then, it is about time that you assign your working area to give you a space for work and set it apart from your sleeping quarters or eating areas. No matter how virtual workspaces are now, you still have to get settled in your own workspace that you use every day.

Claiming a space as your own will help you stay away from distractions around the house. Your other family members at home will also understand and will not disturb you while you are at work. Lastly, it will be clear to you where your boundaries of work and home life are.

4. Learn new tools to increase productivity.

There are new apps that you might want to check out to help you through remote work, such as project management and communication tools Asana, Slack, and Trello. Instead of just using the usual work emails, these tools help you and everyone in your team increase productivity and stay connected.

5. Connect with your team.

Even working remotely, it is necessary to connect with your colleagues and your team. Keep good communication and try to connect with them at least once a week through a conference call or video call.

This not only reminds everyone about productivity and progress reports but also strengthens the support network. Each team member can also check on each other, ask how everyone is coping with work, and see who needs assistance. Although virtual and work-related, you will find it energizing to feel human interaction from time to time.

6. Adjust to new office dynamics.

The lack of face-to-face interaction and communication may also be a source of work burnout. It would benefit the team if you sat down and tried to meet the priorities, objectives, and targets of the different projects you are all working on.

This way, you can manage expectations and deliver whatever goals you plan to achieve. Additionally, it reduces the amount of backlog that could potentially stress you out in the next weeks.

7. Turn off notifications.

There is no hard-fast rule to be online all the time just because you are working from home. Your boss and your colleagues understand that you do not work the whole day and you also have your own life to attend to. This means that you should manage your notifications after working.

You may feel anxious about every alert you hear from your messaging apps and email. But the truth is, there is no need to check your devices every minute to see if you have a new message. Just check them during your work hours, and turn them off once the work day has ended.

8. Choose and maintain both physical and mental exercise.

Take care of your mental health by taking short breaks at work. You can also recharge through meditation sessions. There are free online webinars about mental health and wellness topics that you can explore.

You can also schedule stretching or online desk yoga breaks at work. Sitting in front of the computer can strain your eyes, neck, and back. Stay away from your bed, as it may distract you from working, thus delaying your tasks and eventually prolonging your time at work.

9. Use vacation, sick days, or time off.

Taking time off and away from work has been proven to improve long-term productivity in employees. Unfortunately, stats show that remote employees are unlikely to take sick days if they are feeling bad, just because they work from home.

Remote employees are also often hesitant to take vacation days, and would often carry their work with them. Try to avoid gluing yourself to your work. Take sick days when sick, and schedule vacation time with your family and friends. Being on call 365 days a year is the quickest route to burnout.

10. Be kind to yourself.

Lastly, be kind to yourself and don’t push yourself over your work limits. Think of a better work-life balance. The better you are in your personal life, the better employee you will be. Take short breaks in your work week and eat your lunch away from your keyboard.

You can look into your interests or new hobbies that can uplift your well-being. Through these little activities in your timeline, you will see that you have a better attitude to everyday life.

If you are feeling burnout creeping in, don’t wait to address it

Remember that work burnout is real and you will never win this battle even if you fight it. Above are just some ways to help best avoid work burnout before it even occurs to you. You are your greatest challenge and you have to be conscious of how you can stay on top of your game.

Take time off when you need it and set clear distinctions between work and free time. Look into new hobbies, exercises, meditation, and other wellness routines. Remember that when it comes to burnout, prevention is better than cure.

FAQ:

How can I prevent burnout when working remotely?
Set clear boundaries between work and personal time, create a dedicated workspace, and regularly connect with your team to stay engaged and avoid isolation.

What can I do to avoid feeling burnt out at work?
Stick to a routine, limit your working hours, and take regular breaks to refresh your mind. Using tools to increase productivity can also help.

Can I overcome burnout while still working?
Yes, but it takes effort. Start by recognizing the signs, adjust your workload, and make time for self-care activities like exercise and mental health breaks.