Working from home is now the new norm for people throughout the world as we adapt to the Covid-19 lock-downs and ongoing changes to our life. Many people are finding that it is not quite as fun as it appeared to be in the beginning, as their working space encroaches on their living space leading to stress and fatigue. In our previous article how to remain healthy when working from home we provided some valuable tips regarding work-life balance, exercise, ergonomic set-up, and even nutrition essentials to help guide you during this dramatic change. However, one thing we did not discuss in too much detail was how to adjust some of the little things with your daily routine to avoid the monotony of the daily work grind that contributes to exhaustion, and eventually burnout.

What is Burnout Exactly?

Burnout is a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress. It occurs when you feel overwhelmed, emotionally drained, and unable to meet life’s constant demands. As the stress continues, you begin to lose the interest and motivation that led you to take on a certain role in the first place. Some people have been like this for so long they even become numb to the symptoms and cannot see how much they have changed.

An unchecked stress response can cause repeated spikes in blood pressure increasing the chances of a stroke. You will begin to stockpile fat around the abdomen due to the high levels of the stress hormone cortisol being activated lowering IGF-1 and maintaining high levels of glucose in the bloodstream. This endless supply of cortisol greatly weakens the immune system and exposes the body to deadly diseases like diabetes and cancer.

Signs of burnout are not limited to physical symptoms as they can be emotional and behavioural. If you are not sure you are in the burnout stage ask yourself these questions.

• Are you feeling less motivated to work or exercise for example?
• Are you tired, even if you have had a good sleep?
• Are you constantly moody?
• Do you find it hard to enjoy things you normally find fun?

These are all signs that you are overly stressed and exhausted, and it is time for you to make some changes.

Difficulty sleeping, anxiousness, easily irritated, feeling tired, headaches, changes in normal dietary habits, increased consumption of alcohol, lack of motivation, procrastination, isolating yourself from family and or friends, are other signals you are exhausted.

What Causes Burnout?

The causes of burnout can vary for all of us, for some it could be work related, whereas others it could be lifestyle related or even be driven by their personality traits. Let me explain this in more detail.

Work related burnout could be due to over working at home during the lockdown period, by constantly checking and replying to emails late at night, or even feeling like you have no control or little control over you work.  

Lifestyle related burnout could be attributed to working too much without relaxing, you may have the pressure of home schooling now to cope with, feeling a lack of supportive relationships or not getting enough sleep.

Personality trait related burnout can be the main driver. If you like me and a bit on the perfectionist side where nothing ever seems good enough, you can very easily work yourself into the ground. These days I am aware of when I am doing this and know how to find my “off switch” to allow my mind and body take a much needed rest.

I know for myself I tend to obsess about minor details and become a perfectionist when I sit down to write articles or film videos. Years ago I would spend way too long tedious tasks and get angry that it was taking so long and not coming out the way I wanted it. I was constantly stressed and tired and found it hard to let go and relax.

At the time of writing this article I am two days into our second stage four lock-down here in Melbourne, where we are not allowed out of the house for more than one hour per day, and can only travel 5km from home! We have another 6 weeks of this draconian lock-down to go and the stress this will place on people is enormous. Finding ways to relax and complete enjoyable tasks around the home is very challenging but vitally important for our mental health. And for the person who will be working from home for a long time to come this is a chance to set some ground rules.

Here are some of our best tips to avoid the burnout trap.

How to Avoid Burnout

1: Set Your Alarm

Routine is important for staying on track and it is vital you get up at the same time each day.  Have a shower, eat your breakfast, and make you get dressed and avoid working in your pyjamas. This would have been the norm prior to Covid-19 so make sure you keep this routine now.

2. Define Your Work Space

Designating a specific area which is only used for working is very important for keeping work separate from your home life. If possible, try to use a room furthest away from your living area of your house as this helps to keeping the living area as a relaxation and family area where you mind can take a break from work pressures and the grind.

3. Take Regular Breaks

Stop for exercise breaks and meal breaks. If you have to set an alarm on your phone to remind you to get up and move around. I always make an effort to go outside and get some fresh air by shooting a few hoops on my basketball court in the backyard. You could easily go for a walk around the block or to the end of the street and back to clear the mind. Not only is this great for your physical health but your metal health as well.  It is very important to have designated meal breaks where you eat away from your workspace and not in front of your computer.

4. Exercise Every Day

Some people like to start the day with exercise whereas others prefer to do it later in the day. Whatever works for you is fine, just make sure you exercise for at least 30 minutes every day. Whether it is lifting some weights at home, taking the dog for a walk, a run by yourself or taking the kids for a ride on the bike, make time to move.

5. Turn All Technology Off At Night

At the end of the workday turn off the computer. DO NOT check emails later as they will be there tomorrow. Switch off your phone and avoid looking at social media to give your brain time to relax. You must be very strict with this rule as the temptation will be very strong to take a quick look at Facebook or what is going on with Instagram. If you can stay disciplined with this you will find that you become much more productive and efficient with your time during the day. Who doesn’t want that?

6.Have A Set Time To Go To Sleep

Having a set bedtime is equally as important as a set wake up time. Our working hours may be a bit more flexible when working from home, but this does not mean you can stay up late watching TV. The repair work on our body is completed during our sleep and if it is compromised we expose our body to illness and injury. Always get to bed by 10:30pm at the latest!

Click Here to read a great article titled “Why Sleeping Issues increase Injury, Weight Gain & Disease”.

7. Eat Healthy Food

What we eat can have a huge impact on our mood and energy levels throughout the day. Avoid sugary snacks or comfort foods, reduce junk food, and avoid drinking too much caffeine as all these things can wreak havoc on our energy and blood sugar. Drink plenty of water and eat healthy meals that include vegetables with good quality proteins fat.

Click Here to read a great article titled “The top 8 Foods to include in your diet if you want to lose weight”.

Additional Resources to Help You

To help you navigate all the steps that working from home present we created a detailed report with everything you need to know about working from home that you can download below. This comes complete with links to articles and videos about all the things you need to do to ensure you remain in great health during this transitional change.

Summary

If you’re feeling like you might be suffering from burnout take a close look at the way you’re working at the moment. Sometimes all you need is to make some small lifestyle changes like the ones listed in this article to help structure your day. Finding a routine and setting some ground rules are very important on keeping the work life separate from your home life. Working from home can be very enjoyable and rewarding if you make these changes and avoid the dreaded burnout that affects so many people.

About The Author

Nick Jack is owner of No Regrets Personal Training and has over 15 years’ experience as a qualified Personal Trainer, Level 2 Rehabilitation trainer, CHEK practitioner, and Level 2 Sports conditioning Coach. Based in Melbourne Australia he specialises in providing solutions to injury and health problems for people of all ages using the latest methods of assessing movement and corrective exercise.

If you do need specific help with setting up an exercise and nutrition program please feel free to reach out to me for help by clicking the image below and we can set you up a free consultation to discuss how to get you started. We also provide ONLINE TRAINING for those who are overseas or interstate.

References:

• Mccrindle Research
• Sitting On The Job - By Scott Dunkin
• Movement - By Gray Cook
• Corrective Exercise Solutions for the Hip & Shoulder - by Evan Osar
• Back Pain Mechanic - by Dr Stuart McGill
• Diagnosis & Treatment Of Movement Impairment Syndromes - By Shirley Sahrman
• Ultimate Back Fitness & Performance - by Dr Stuart McGill
• Core Stability - by Peak Performance
• Athletic Body in Balance - by Gray Cook
• How To Eat, Move & Be Healthy by Paul Chek
• Scientific Core Conditioning Correspondence Course - By Paul Chek
• Advanced Program Design - By Paul Chek