How can I prevent burnout when working from home

Burnout from working at home

For most people, prior to March 2020, work and home were different places, mindsets and priorities. Many people continue to work from home and in temporary spaces such as at dining tables and in spare bedrooms.  It may be that you don’t have the equipment that you need, that the technology you use isn’t fit for purpose, or that the job role that you do is not a good fit for online working. You might be finding it harder to compartmentalise; checking your emails outside of work time and doing chores at lunchtime. You may also have children, housemates or pets who disturb you. All of these factors could lead to an increase in stress which if not managed can have the potential to lead to burnout. Burnout is a feeling of emotional and physical exhaustion which has led to feeling negatively about your job role and a reduction in productivity.

Tips for preventing burnout

Some of the strategies in our other blogs around preventing burnout in nursing and preventing burnout in healthcare workers are just as relevant to working at home. In addition, the following three strategies are important to consider:

Balance structure and flexibility: create a plan and where possible, stick to this. Decide when you will be working and resist the temptation to work outside of these hours. Sometimes flexibility might be needed; for example, attending a virtual meeting which finishes after your finish time, however, you can also try to accept and enjoy the times that the flexibility works in your favour.

Prioritise your environment: it’s likely that some form of home working is going to stay, therefore, if you haven’t already, now is the time to invest in a suitable working environment. Ensure that you have a comfortable chair, a workstation to meet your needs and technology such as headphones and a second screen if these would be helpful. It can also be really helpful to be away from others who you share a house with, if this is possible. Finally, start a routine for ending your day that allows you time to process the day in the same way that a short commute can be helpful. This could be as simple as checking your emails one last time, shutting down your computer and putting it away on a shelf or in a cupboard. A computer that is off and away is likely to be less of a temptation to check! If possible, incorporating a few minutes of mindfulness into this routine could help. This may involve looking out of the window or focusing on your breathing.

Breaks: continue to take the breaks that you need. Meal time breaks are vital for keeping you healthy and productive. In addition, screen breaks can be helpful for keeping eyes fresh. Ideally a screen break would include another healthy activity such as a dose of fresh air, however, it can be as simple as writing a paper to-do list instead of an electronic one, just to give your eyes a change. 

Burnout UK was founded by Dr Julie Hannan and provides online courses for people to overcome and prevent burnout. Courses are written by Psychologists and approved by the British Psychological Society. Courses help you identify stressors that you face in your work and home life that might be contributing to your burnout and reshape areas of your life which are depleting you by developing new strategies to support your recovery and strengthen your resilience and wellbeing for the future.