5 Ways to Fight Burnout When You Work From Home -Written by Marissa Perez

5 Ways to Fight Burnout When You Work From Home -Written by Marissa Perez

by | Jan 11, 2021 | Ezine

With no dress code, no commute and more time at home with loved ones, you may assume that working from home is more relaxing and less stressful than working in an office setting. You may also think that being at home makes it harder to get work done, but in actuality, none of that is the case.

Per Business News Daily, employers are finding that remote workers are significantly more productive than their in-office counterparts, putting in an additional 1.4 days of work every month. That’s more than two additional weeks a year! And while all that productivity is great for business, it can take a toll on those hard workers. Working from home can actually lead to increased stress levels and put you at greater risk for job burnout.

Before that happens to you — or even if it has already — here are a few ways you can breathe new life back into your work-from-home experience, courtesy of executive coach Erin Owen.

1. Create a More Positive Work Environment

Clutter and disorganization in your workspace can lead to frustration, anxiety or other negative emotions. Create a positive atmosphere by keeping your office clean and well-organized, air it out, and ensure the space will energize and motivate you throughout your day. You might want to add a few houseplants to boost your mood and clean the air, and consider opening your curtains for some invigorating sunshine.

2. Get Out of Your Chair

If your job requires hours at your desk and on the computer, schedule regular breaks and be intentional about getting up, stretching and walking around. If possible, get outside during your lunch hour (yes, you should take one) to get some fresh air, exercise and soak in a little Vitamin D. Some telecommuters find incorporating yoga into their daily routine helps both body and mind from slipping into an inactive rut.

3. Develop a Healthy Work/Life Balance

As Industry Week explains, people who work from home often struggle with finding balance because the boundaries tend to be fluid and somewhat blurry. Though it’s not necessary to always draw a hard line between the two, keeping your job and home responsibilities separate will benefit both areas.

Burnout is a particular threat when you are on calls and checking emails during what should be family or personal time. Likewise, too many personal or family interruptions during work time can lead to both job and relational frustrations.

4. Have a Support System

Job responsibilities and workload can seem especially burdensome when you feel isolated and lonely at times. Networking groups or meetups organized around common interests are excellent resources for socialization and connection for both personal and professional relationships. An executive coach can help you process your job or life experiences and discover ways to develop resiliency, mindset growth and that all-important work-life balance.

5. Be Mindful of How You’re Eating

The major downsides of working from home — not leaving your desk for hours on end, hazy work-life boundaries, the increased stress and feelings of isolation — all tend to impact how you eat. You might be more likely to snack on junk food while sitting at your desk, skip meals or feel too depleted at the end of the day to prepare healthy dinners. But an unhealthy diet can sap your energy and leave you feeling on edge or depressed.

Keep a basket of healthy snacks in your office or even better, get a mini-fridge so you can keep fresh food close by. Planning and preparing meals for the week ahead of time can help you make healthier choices even if you need to grab something quick while you’re working, too. A big pot of soup, healthy casseroles frozen into meal-sized portions, or simple-but-yummy sandwiches can help you stay on track both with your work and your diet.

Even from the comfort of your own home, it’s still possible to overwork yourself. Putting a few safeguards in place will protect you from burning out and help make your work-from-home experience what you always hoped it would be.

For more tips and advice that will help you prosper personally and professionally, connect with executive coach Erin Owen.

By Marissa Perez of businesspop.net

Less work? More satisfaction?

Less work? More satisfaction?

by | Nov 17, 2015 | Ezine

If you’ve followed my writing for awhile, you know I’m a fan of doing less and getting better results – including having more satisfaction in life.

Well, it turns out that finding a way to work fewer hours – especially for working parents – and doubly so for working mothers – is critical for feeling like we’re able to more successfully juggle the complexities of modern life.

How do working parents share the load when children are part of the picture? When both parents work full-time (a situation which has increased from 31% in 1970 to 46% of married or partnered households today), who takes care of sick children? Who plays with the kids? Who handles household chores? Who disciplines? Recently, an Atlantic magazine article titled “The Secret to Work-Life Balance: Less Work” highlighted the results of a study by the Pew Research Center.

Among the findings? 40% of moms who work full-time say they feel rushed all the time! And 39% say they spend too little time with their kids. What about moms who work part-time? Only 29% say they feel rushed all the time and 77% feel they spend the right amount of time with their children.

I’m grateful to count myself among the 77%. I know this reality because it’s the one I’ve created for myself: that of a full-time business owner and full-time mom who works variable hours that are mostly part-time. I have made the choice to not work full-time during the years when my children were babies or in preschool. And now that my youngest is heading to kindergarten, I am slowly increasing my hours.

Regardless of whether you have children or, if you do, what age they are: I invite you to take a look at the results of this study and ask yourself: do I find it difficult to balance family life with work life? If you’re a working dad, ask yourself: do I feel you spend the right amount of time with my children?

When you step back to evaluate your satisfaction level with the most important pieces of your life, it helps you to make more conscious choices about your career and your work hours. And please don’t forget to keep in mind the top 5 regrets of the dying:

  1. I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.
  2. I wish I hadn’t worked so hard.
  3. I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings.
  4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.
  5. I wish that I had let myself be happier.

If you need a partner in figuring out how to transition from your current situation to one that is more satisfying, contact me. In the past 12 years, I’ve worked with hundreds of clients to make small, manageable changes that significantly improve quality of life; and some clients have made some pretty huge leaps that have resulted in dramatic changes and amazing new lifestyles that mirror the vision they always had for their ideal life.