Is WFH Burning you Out?

Sounds like a dream… Pyjamas all day, zero commute, work from your couch, pants optional…and it began to chaff (come on, that was gold)  when we found remote work and hybrid models came with their own set of challenges.

Burnout, that sneaky little monster, found a new playground.

I’d had a low commute for a decade - a 5 minute walk to the office.  Then someone ate a bat sandwich and everyone got into the act. No more traffic, more time with family, and the ability to work from anywhere.  We adjusted.

But no one had shown us how to work from home; 99% of us did work at the office.

We “went” to work.  Then we went home. Now we worked at home. Hork, wome, whatever, edges got blurry and for those without the planning skills and focus on getting the daily rhythms right, it can be slightly disastrous.

But with the right strategies, you can not only avoid burnout but significantly improve the quality of your work and personal life.

Challenges of Remote Work

Remote work presents unique challenges that can contribute to burnout if not managed properly.

To prevent burnout, it's essential to implement effective strategies and create a balanced work environment.

Planning for Optimal WFH Conditions

Planning isn’t just a cure for burnout; it’s a preventive measure. Investing time and effort upfront to plan your days, weeks and months creates a mental fortress. The stronger your planning skills, the better you will be managing the onslaught of stress.

Want to cut your burnout risk by a third? The Journal of Occupational Health Psychology said all you need to do is regularly plan and organize.  It helps us stay on top of our workload, manage time effectively and ensure our focus is well directed. It makes it MUCH easier  to identify potential stressors before they become overwhelming and allow us to take corrective action.

Plan, execute, review, learn, plan.

By adopting an “agile life” principle, we are maximising “life” output vs just work output to really thrive. It means to apply the same work planning techniques to life, including self-care and relaxation. By scheduling regular breaks, exercise, and leisure activities, we can not only  maintain a healthy work-life balance but actually increase our outputs in work and life.

Another piece of research shows that workers who engage in proactive report higher levels of job satisfaction and engagement. This highlights the dual benefits of planning as both a preventive strategy and a means to enhance overall well-being.

Actionable Steps to Plan Your Way Out of Burnout

Simple (but not easy at first)

1. Work out your why – Build  a Vision

• Spend 10 minutes each day journaling about your feelings and experiences

• Ask yourself key questions to identify stressors and desires

• Connect your emotions to your effort and fuel your emergence

2. Setting Specific Goals

• Write down three personal and three professional goals using the SMART framework

• Break each goal into smaller, actionable steps and set deadlines

• Actions plans decrease our stress as the steps become tangible

3. Time Management Techniques:

• Use the Pomodoro Technique or time blocking to structure your day.

• Prioritize tasks using the Eisenhower Matrix to focus on what’s important

4. Scheduling Personal Time:

• Block out time in your calendar for personal activities and stick to it

• Plan regular breaks and vacations to recharge

• If you don’t plan for you, no one else will!

5. Communicating Boundaries:

• Have open discussions with coworkers and family about your availability

• WFH doesn’t mean you always do the dishes – you have work to do

• Set clear boundaries to ensure you have uninterrupted personal time

Important to understand, burnout can be beaten.  As importantly, those who increase their capacity and plan their way “around” burnout will get more done and be of more value.

Play the long game.  The opportunities will present those who understand how to make WFH work for them!

Seize every opportunity and make the most of it or before you know it, it will be 6 days a week back in the office.

Recovery isn’t just about bouncing back; it’s about bouncing forward.     

References

- Harvard Business Review. "How Successful Entrepreneurs View Failure." 2021.

- National Bureau of Economic Research. "Remote Work and Increased Workday Length." 2021.

- American Optometric Association. "Digital Eye Strain in Remote Workers." 2022.

- Buffer. "State of Remote Work Report." 2022.

- Journal of Occupational Health Psychology. "The Impact of Routine on Stress and Productivity." 2021.

- Stanford University. "The Benefits of Regular Breaks." 2021.

- International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. "Flexible Work Arrangements and Stress Reduction." 2020.

- Journal of Occupational Health Psychology. "The Preventive Power of Planning." 2021.

- Gallup. "The Importance of Breaks and Vacations for Job Satisfaction." 2023.

- International Journal of Stress Management. "Proactive Planning and Job Satisfaction." 2022.

- American Institute of Stress. "The Benefits of Setting Boundaries." 2022.