Remember back in the good old days (like 2019) when you idealized the idea of working from home? When you dreamed of rolling out of bed, opening your laptop, and making sales calls in sweatpants? Well, you probably got your wish in 2020 and quickly realized that working from home isn’t the utopia you thought it would be. After months of working from home, many people struggle to stay engaged and connected to their work. If you are feeling burned out on remote work, use these tips to get re-connected.
Set Physical Boundaries
When you worked in an office, you were able to separate your work and home life. But when you work from home, all boundaries are blurred, and it can feel impossible to create much-needed distance.
You can help by setting up a designated space that is only for work. Each morning create a “transition” and mentally shift gears by getting fully dressed and going to work in the designated space. After work, create separation by taking a short walk around the block to decompress and switch out of work mode.
Only Use Video Call When Necessary
If you don’t have to have a video call, don’t. Go old-school, especially for internal meetings, and set up a standard conference call. Staring at a screen is exhausting both for your eyes and your brain and unless you need to screen share or you’re meeting someone for the first time, give yourself a break from staring awkwardly at other people on video.
When you have to hold video conferences, get up, and take a break at the meeting’s close. This can help give your eyes a break and allows you to return to your desk refreshed rather than exhausted.
Work During Your Most Productive Hours
If you work best holding to a 9 to 5 schedule, keep it. But if you are more productive at different times of the day or in a house with other people and it gets noisy at certain times, work around that schedule if possible. Do your work when you feel most productive to optimize your day but try to set a schedule and keep to it if your job allows for flexibility.
Take A Lunch Break
It’s easy to fall into the trap of eating at your desk when you’re working from home, but you should give yourself a lunch break to create some separation from work. Give yourself at least 30 minutes. Talk to the other members of your household, relax, or take a short walk around your neighborhood. When your break is over, you’ll have a renewed focus.
Consider A New Working Situation
Sometimes it’s not working from home that’s the problem; it’s the job itself. Perhaps your workload is too high, or you aren’t getting enough support from your employer. If you’ve taken steps to remedy your work-from-home fatigue and it’s not helping, stop spinning your wheels and consider looking for a new job with an employer that provides more flexibility and support.
Interested in a New Sales Role?
If you are interested in inside sales roles in the industrial safety equipment and PPE fields, contact the expert recruiters at The Charis Group today or browse our current sales openings and apply online.