Many people are exhibiting job burnout.  The pandemic drastically changed their working situation. Some people are still working from home either full or part time. It can get dull, lonely and depressing for many reasons. You may feel exhausted and aren’t really sure why.

People miss the transition from work to home, they don’t have the office banter with people they enjoy and they aren’t in their traditional work environment. Plus being inside the 4 walls of your home all day/night can become tiresome.

How to Prevent Job Burnout

Plan social interaction

Are there some people you miss at work, yet they live too far away to get together? Why not plan lunch with them via video chat? Take your laptop into the kitchen and have lunch. It sure beats eating alone.

Meet work or non-work friends for lunch. Just getting out of the house and doing something different will shake up your routine.

Even if no one can meet you for lunch, why not go out for lunch on your own? The weather is nice and you can eat outside if you’d like.

Don’t eat at your desk

We all need a change of scenery in our workday. If you eat at your desk, it’s as if you didn’t get a lunch break at all. Go into your kitchen, outside, or any place other than your desk.

You can also look at this as recharging your batteries. You will be more productive after your lunch break. Plowing thorough lunch will only drain your brain.

Make your workplace more relaxing

If you can be some place in nature, where would it be? Nature is relaxing and nurturing. Do you like the beach, the mountains, or hiking? Why not incorporate some of these things in your office space? You can paint the room a soothing shade of blue or green. Then add some plants or seashells to give you a calmer vibe.

Get rid of the clutter to prevent burnout

Having clutter all over the place can add stress. It makes you feel as if you need to clean up. If your desk and surroundings are clear you will be better able to focus on the task at hand.

Separate workspace

It is hard to transition to a working state of mind if you are working on your family room couch or coffee table. Some people have set up shop in their bedroom. If your place is small and that is your only option, then see if there is something you can do to separate off the space. Can you get a large folding screen that can separate off the room? If not, how about turning your family room chair or couch the other direction so you feel as if you are in another room. Perhaps you have a dining room table you can use and turn that into your office.

Take breaks

As with lunch, you want to remove yourself from your work area. Most people who are in an office take breaks. Even when going to the restroom at work you might run into a co-worker and have a conversation.

Go outside, walk around and enjoy your surroundings. You can call a friend or play with your pets. Again, removing yourself from your workspace will recharge your batteries and make you more productive.

Change workspaces

No time for a vacation? How about changing the location of your work? Can your work at a beach house or a cabin. I have heard of people who work from home renting an Airbnb for a month in the city of their choice. Having coffee while listening to the ocean sounds like a wonderful way to start the day.

Transition

How about finding a way to transition from work life to home life? I have heard of some people even getting in the car, driving around and then coming home. What about meditating, walking or exercising? Think of some routine that you can do to help you shut down your working brain.

Engage in self-care to prevent burnout

I also can’t stress self-care enough. This is taking time for you, pampering yourself or engaging in enjoyable activities. Keeping up with some sort of exercise routine also falls into this category. Perhaps you like to spend time with friends, or meditate. Only you know what activities are rejuvenating. It is important to take time to do the things that you enjoy.

When you work from home, it is so easy for work-life and home life to blend together.

I hope these tips have been helpful for you. If you have struggle with work-life-balance or burnout, talking to someone who is not emotionally involved in your situation can be helpful.

Give me a call at 713-304-6554 if I can help.

Take care,

Debbie