How To Spot A Work From Home Burnout And Take Action

The challenges of maintaining a work-life balance have led to employees suffering from work burnout. Work from home has been a part of the ‘new normal,’ especially after the COVID 19 outbreak in 2020. Most in-office employees were compelled to switch to WFH status to continue earning a living during these uncertain economic times. Unfortunately, the long work hours and burnout from the isolation and loneliness of the pandemic can affect not only mental but also physical health. This could possibly lead to other serious illnesses that could hinder the quality of your work.

WFH burnout has been defined in two ways: 

• Chronic workplace stress that has not been treated or managed successfully
• A state of chronic stress resulting from a person’s inability to balance and/or separate their personal and work lives due to working and living in the same space, such as WFH

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines WFH burnout as an “occupational phenomenon or syndrome caused by chronic, unaddressed work stress.” The organization even goes so far as to add that burnout is an “occupational hazard.”

The good news is, there are a few ways to assist you to overcome work from home burnout.

3 work burnout symptoms and how to solve them.

Dry motivation – lack of work organization

Imagine that you have a list of tasks waiting for you to complete them.

If you’re anything like me, you want to get everything done simultaneously so it is all behind you and you can move on.

Using the Eisenhower matrix utilizes different quadrants that serve a different purpose. Stephen Covey, the author of The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, popularized Eisenhower’s concept of time management matrix to determine the urgency of one’s task.

Here is how the four quadrants work:

Separating your tasks into 4 groups of importance and urgencies will help you finish your tasks efficiently, and you will not have to miss any dateline as this with help you organize.

– Important and Urgent (Do)

– Important but Not Urgent (Plan)

– Urgent but not important (Delegate)

– Not Urgent and Not Important (Eliminate)  

Lack of workplace support – try to ask members for help

Sometimes our daily tasks can be a little bit too much and overwhelming. And because we are so used to working at the office, we usually try our best to finish up any work independently. However, with the presence of colleagues around us, indirectly, we sometimes ask for their assistance or opinion. However, it is a different scenario when we are working at home. If your workload seems a bit too much to handle, try reaching out to your team member or leader and discuss the possibility of job delegation. You might be surprised at how many of your teammates are ready to step in and help you take some load off your shoulder. 

Skype for Business is as easy as sharing a link. With one click, anyone can join your online meeting from any device. You can choose to meet right away or schedule from Outlook for later. The meeting URL is personalized just for you.

Work plateau – Find creative ways to do your work. 

One of the best ways to dial up a mood, mindset, or perception is by choosing music that brings out a specific emotional response. You can use music as a tool in your daily life the same way you use music when you work out or unwind and relax. Our emotional response to music is very individual. Not all “happy” songs are universally perceived as being uplifting or are guaranteed to put you in a good mood all the time. Some of us prefer to listen to podcasts. Whichever way to utilize your auditory senses to wake you up and give a bit of boost coffee won’t do, just go for it.

Work burnout can be mentally challenging, especially when you have datelines and urgent tasks that require your attention, not forgetting last-minute matters. It can be equally draining whether you are living on your own, with your family or housemates. However, when you intentionally pursue a career, a lifestyle that blesses you with what you are passionate about allows you to maintain a perfect work-life balance.