How to avoid WFH fatigue
For the past few months, like a lot of people I’ve been working from home non-stop. And it has some obvious benefits – commuting time and money saved, you get to choose all of the background music, and can catch up with household jobs!
However, a constant merging and juggling of work and home can create problems. I’ve listed a few below that I’ve experienced, with some suggestions to help.
1/ Home Alone
We’re used to working in busy, noisy, buzzy offices, surrounded by our colleagues. So this home alone time is a new challenge. Tech is great, but ‘phone calls and videos chats don’t help us to build connections in the same way face-to-face time does. Working remotely day after day, can make you feel disconnected and lonely.
If that applies to you, reach out and speak out about your feelings with line managers or your HR contacts. You could also arrange regular team get-togethers, or meet up with colleagues whilst adhering to social distancing rules. It is natural to rely on others for support, and it’s healthy to seek this out when things don’t feel quite right.
2/ Relaxed routine..beware!
For a few days, working in your slobbies is great. And we all have the occasional day where we go straight from bed to desk, only stopping for a quick morning coffee, before eating lunch while working. In time tho, type of working will impact on your mental wellbeing, and ability to perform your role.
Having a relaxed routine is great, but you’ll really benefit from structuring your day in the same way you would working in the office. Get up with enough time to enjoy breakfast, shower and get dressed, and replace your commute with a 20 minute walk – the fresh air and exercise will energise you for your morning’s work.
Step away from your screen to enjoy a lunch break, and take short breaks throughout the day, to help you remain focussed and productive.
3/ Keep those boundaries
The boundaries between work and life have been relaxed, if not removed. And I know how tempting it is to check email and communications throughout the day and night. However, doing it can make you feel overwhelmed and unable to switch off…literally and metaphorically. This can impact your sleep and health. So if you feel this applies to you, it’s vital that you switch off your screens and your mind - recharge your batteries in the evening and at weekends, and you’ll be ready and focussed for your work.
4/ Being seen to be working
Working from home, we feel the extra pressure to be seen to be working hard. So for example, it’s easy to fall into the habit of letting meetings run past their allotted times, and then having to extend your working day. In this case, treat your video or conference call meetings in the same way you would an in-office meeting. Stick to agendas and agreed timings. Doing this will mean that your (and your colleagues) workload and pressure don’t increase. Overall, be smart, and make sure your pace of work is steady and sustainable.
Thank you for reading and I hope my ideas have helped.