Feeling demotivated? It might be remote work burnout. Here’s 4 ways to combat it.

In 2020, most office employees became remote workers unexpectedly. Now over a year later, office employees continue to work from home, without a clear end in sight. Employees and employers were forced to adapt – and for many, it was for the best.

In its State of Remote Work Survey, Buffer found that 99% of employees would prefer to work remotely for the rest of their career. The biggest benefits to working from home were found to be having a flexible schedule, and having the ability to work from anywhere.

While the benefits seem to outweigh the disadvantages, many are experiencing some struggles with remote working. These include not being able to unplug after work, feeling lonely, and the lack of collaboration and communicating with others.

While you may enjoy working from home, the drawbacks that employees are facing can begin to seem overwhelming. This combined with pandemic burnout may have you feeling inadequate, dismissive, and unmotivated.

If you’ve felt this way throughout the past year, you’re not alone. Burnout symptoms rose by 33% in 2020. If you think that work-from-home burnout is affecting your motivation, productivity, and mental health, here are 5 ways to solve it.

Prioritize PTO

In the pre-COVID world, taking paid time off was often associated with going out of town on a planned vacation.

Even if you’re unable to travel, taking time away from work might be helpful to recharge and refresh your mind. One option is to take a “staycation” to unwind at home or enjoy what Omaha has to offer.

Another option is to plan on taking one or two days off sporadically throughout the year. Consider taking a long weekend off a few times a year or planning one Monday off per month (hooray for less Mondays 🎉).

Join a coworking space

A coworking space has several benefits for remote workers. Even renting out a desk space a couple of times a week might help to simulate working in an office environment.

Coworking spaces can help separate work and home life.  It can be hard to shut down your laptop and stop thinking about work after 5 pm. Having the separation of working at a different space than you live may be needed for some people to disconnect.

Coworking spaces can also provide human connection that working from home lacks. It gives you the ability to network with other remote workers that are also needing the benefits of an office environment. Getting the chance to chat with and meet other people might help feelings of loneliness and help to break up the day.

Communicate your concerns

One of the best ways to minimize burnout is to ensure you are communicating your feelings to your boss. Most companies want their employees to feel happy, fulfilled, and productive.

If your boss is aware that you’re feeling overwhelmed, they might be able to take steps to reduce your workload. Maybe a coworker can pick up part of a project you’re working on to make it more manageable, or a deadline for a task can be pushed back.

Consider your job satisfaction

If you’ve taken steps to reduce burnout but can’t shake your lack of motivation and feelings of inadequacy, you might want to consider if your job is still a good fit for you.

How has your employer supported you over the last year? Do you still feel excited about your role? Does your future career inspire you?

It’s important to look inward and evaluate your interest in your job responsibilities and industry. If you find that you no longer align with them, it might be time to look for a different role.

In conclusion

You deserve to feel fulfilled and happy with your current employer and career. Although it’s normal to feel burnout, there are ways to take back control of your work and home life.

Taking the steps above is a great start to relieving the pressure, but it’s up to you to prioritize your mental health and evaluate how your job is affecting your life during and after working hours.

How are you handling symptoms of burnout?

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