In a world becoming more virtual by the second, many of us
are working remote jobs now.
And let's be honest, working from home
can feel like the perfect situation.
One that's unlikely to cause major stress or totally
tire us out.
But the reality is the same stressors
that exist in an in-person position can creep up
in a virtual setting too.
After days, weeks, or even months of work from home bliss,
that dreaded burnout may still strike.
How's it going everybody?
I'm Sinead, and coming up in this video,
we're going to share five tips for overcoming work
burnout in your remote job.
And if you stick around until the very end,
I'll even share a bonus tip on how
to save that precious energy of yours.
So what exactly is burnout?
Burnout is a psychological disorder
that occurs from a long-term job stress.
Some symptoms of burnout include;
exhaustion, detachment, cynicism, and feeling
unproductive.
Now it is probably safe to say that these are symptoms
we would all choose to avoid.
So if you have been experiencing any of these,
hopefully the following tips will get you to feeling
better, because we all deserve to feel and be our best selves.
Now before we dive into how to prevent burnout,
be sure to give this video like, subscribe, and of course, hit
the notification bell to keep up with our weekly career tips.
Also we would love to hear from you.
So be sure to share some of your own techniques
down in the comments below.
Tip 1, optimize your workflow.
A remote role can often disrupt our normal workflow,
and unintentionally remove or change natural routines.
For example, a morning commute gives us
the time to enjoy a fresh cup of coffee, listen to music,
or our favorite morning radio shows.
Zone out and get lost in our own thoughts
before you have to focus.
And just reflect before getting into a full on work mode.
And the same may apply after a demanding day of work.
It's nice to leave the office and physically separate
ourselves from our work responsibilities.
So how exactly do you recreate this flow
when work and home are both in the same place?
Step 1, try creating a morning routine.
Creating a morning routine allows time
to contemplate and organize your thoughts for the day ahead.
Your routine may include waking up
30 minutes early to have a cup of coffee out
on your back porch, listening to your favorite podcast,
which is a regular part of my morning routine.
Meditating or catching up on the latest news.
Step 2, get specific with your schedule.
Try talking to your manager about setting
specific hours of availability on your calendar, which
will ensure that your day begins and ends at a certain time,
just as it did when you worked in a physical office.
Step 3, add blocks on your calendar
before and after long meetings.
This will give you time and space to debrief individually.
Sometimes it's good to look at something, anything other
than your computer screen.
And on that note, try getting outside for lunch.
Breathe in some fresh air.
Get that good vitamin D, and do what
you can to revive yourself.
Finally step 4, block off the last hour
of your day to plan for tomorrow and wrap things up.
Set yourself up for success.
You deserve to bake in extra time for your assignments.
We actually have an entire video just
on productivity and working from home, which you can check out
right up here.
But here's a pro tip for you.
Pause your notifications when taking breaks.
Remote work can feel overwhelming at times.
So pausing the connection between your work
life and personal life is critical to avoiding burnout.
Sometimes it's hard to distinguish
the difference between the two when
we don't create those boundaries, which leads me
to our next tip.
Tip 2, set boundaries.
For many, working remotely has blurred
the lines between professional life,
work life, and personal life.
While there are benefits to this blur like quickly throwing
in that last load of laundry before your next meeting,
you may also experience additional distractions
and longer workdays, decreasing productivity,
while increasing stress.
And if this sounds like your typical day at work, let's
talk about creating some boundaries.
First, let's focus on physical boundaries.
Dedicate a separate workspace in your home as your office.
And for our minimalist friends out there living
in 400 square feet, grab a spot in your kitchen or living room
area, and make a wall with a bookcase perhaps
to create a physical barrier from your personal space.
You can also try wearing headphones,
which signals that you're getting down to business.
This physical separation not only
helps you, but also friends, family,
and roommates who may be present.
Aside from creating those physical boundaries,
you'll also want to make sure that you communicate with
your housemates that when you're in your workspace,
you're on the job, and therefore, cannot be disturbed.
Next, add tasks along with time blocks to your calendar.
Block off time for things like administrative work.
Maybe you need to complete some paperwork for HR
or catch up on some emails.
Special projects.
Are you producing a video or coding for a client?
Projects like these usually take quite a bit of time
to complete.
Outreach.
Connecting with clients, building relationships,
and managing communication with your own team
takes a lot of collaboration time.
So be sure to block off this chunk of time on your calendar,
especially if you're in a sales position or an account
management role where building a solid relationship
is a key component of your role success.
These blocks serve as a visible marker,
which defines the time when you need to complete specific work,
and when you're available to meet with colleagues.
You can try using a scheduling system like Calendly or Google
Calendar to help you stay accessible,
while also maintaining control of your time.
Trust me, sticky notes, and notebook reminders,
and planners only work for so long before the mess just
gets out of control.
When someone asks to schedule a meeting with you,
share your booking link, or say, feel
free to put some time in an open spot on my calendar.
It's up to date.
It's important to set those expectations.
Create healthy, clear boundaries to lower your stress,
and set yourself up for success.
Now we do have an entire playlist
dedicated to those of you who have recently
started a new job.
But for even more on how to improve your workplace
communication, be sure to check out this video right up here.
So this brings us to tip number 3, relax and reset.
After a grueling brainstorming discussion or a high stakes
client presentation, try taking a pause
and giving yourself a mental break.
At a buffer of time immediately following the meeting,
and get away from your screen.
Then try one of the following to relax and clear your head.
Breathing exercises.
A jam session to your favorite song.
A quick snack or refreshment, or just a little bit of time
to enjoy the scene outside of your window.
Give it a nice, long, blank stare.
Your eyes can get so exhausted from looking
at the screen for too long.
Overall, these small moments are meant
to add up, and give you the necessary space
to refresh and recoup after a stint of mental overload.
And here is a Pro tip.
One of the more productive remote environment?
Yes.
Of course, we all do.
Trust me.
And that's why you have to give the Pomodoro Technique a try.
This time management strategy starts
with choosing a task that needs to be accomplished, followed
by 25 minutes of focused effort, then
take a short five-minute break.
Continue the series 3 or 4 times,
and then take a longer 15 to 30 minute
break before restarting the cycle.
This is such a fantastic way to optimize your energy,
efficiency, and productivity.
Moving on to tip number 4, prioritize mental and physical
health.
This means taking care of your mind, your body, and your soul.
Our mental and physical well-being
has a direct link to our stress levels.
This means a healthy diet, good sleep,
and a routine can help to manage stress, avoiding burnout.
A total shocker, I know.
But it's important to address and prioritize
your mental and physical health.
It may also feel really difficult to do if you are
used to putting others first.
But it's paramount to take care of yourself,
so you can show up not only for yourself, but for your team
as well.
Meditation, stretching, and breathing exercises
can help you to focus on the moment
while grounding yourself.
And honestly, you may just need some human interaction.
Taking time to chat with your friends
and your family allows you to express the thoughts
and emotions that have accumulated
throughout your workday.
And remember how we talked about good sleep.
Now what exactly does that mean?
Well generally speaking, most of us
know that adults should get about 7 to 8 hours of sleep
each night to reset and restart.
Some may require more sleep and others may require less sleep.
But whatever your preference for sleep may be,
just make sure you're getting it,
or else exhaustion very well could lead to burnout.
Mental health and workplace happiness
is vital to any person's success.
Now if you want to make it a priority,
you can check out this video on how to do just that.
Tip number 5, disconnect.
Sometimes the best thing you can do to de-stress and escape
burnout is to simply disconnect.
Take some time off from work and get away,
even if it's just to your own backyard.
But truly disconnect.
Turn off your notifications, shut down your computer,
and silence your phone.
Try spending some energy on activities
that feed your creativity, like going for a walk,
reading your favorite book, playing an instrument,
grabbing dinner with friends, or really any other pursuit that
truly brings you joy.
These simple steps can be therapeutic, and lead
to much needed rejuvenation.
Now this tip is especially important on the weekends.
Your weekends are your time to de-stress and disconnect
completely.
We can all relate to getting on social media
or calling a friend over the weekend.
Just try not to focus on work.
Stressing over the weekend can impede your ability
to work well through the week to come,
and will lead to burnout if you aren't careful.
So preserve your well-being and take the time
off when it's given.
And now our bonus tip.
Save energy with phone calls instead of video calls.
Being on camera takes a lot more energy
than chatting over the phone.
Think about it.
When we're on camera, we feel like we're being watched.
And that's because, well, we are being watched.
Therefore, we may feel the need to perform.
We need to be aware of our facial cues and our body
language, which naturally takes more
effort than a relaxed conversation over the phone.
Audio calls versus video calls can
be more productive because your energy is
being focused on the discussion rather than distracted
by visuals.
We all know there are appropriate and necessary times
to have a video conference.
But when it's possible, try taking a phone call
to save precious time and energy.
And I'll leave you with this last consideration.
Be kind to yourself.
We all experience stress and mental overload.
Yes, even those of us working remotely.
And as the saying goes, you can't pour from an empty cup.
So take time to care for yourself
so you can care for others and accomplish more
without burnout.
If you're feeling better now than you
did before watching this video, which is always our goal,
be sure to give us a big thumbs up, subscribe to our channel,
and of course, hit that notification bell
so that you never miss out on our weekly career tips.
For more on career development, be
sure to check out our playlist or to level up
your professional communication skills,
check out our video on how to overcome
a fear of public speaking.
I'm Sinead.
Thank you all so much for watching,
and we'll see you next time.