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Finding a work-life balance has never been easy. However, the growth of remote work made it only harder for us to maintain this balance. Experts from a popular dating website say that though many people are happy when they have an interracial match, they soon face problems with building such a relationship. Well, for sure there are more obvious reasons for that, such as the difference in races and cultures, but the burnout caused by remote work is also on the list.
The thing is people from different cultures have different work habits. And if one partner in an interracial couple is more a workaholic than his or her soulmate, he or she is more likely to get burnout working from home. And both burnout and the life-work imbalance are very harmful to any relationship, especially, for such a fragile one as an interracial couple.
Let’s try to find out how to cope with remote work burnout so as to avoid damaging the relationship with those we love.
Remote work burnout is way more common than you think
While it may seem that people who work from home have enough time for rest and shouldn’t experience the same stress and workload as normal workers, the stats say a very different thing. The survey made in the US shows that 69% of those who work from home experience burnout. The main reason for that is that personal life and work are happening at the same time. Having your kids or spouse at home while working doesn’t let you focus on your job entirely, you can get distracted, postpone your work, and this way experience a higher level of stress.
How does it feel when you have remote work burnout?
Most people feel stressed at the idea that they can’t escape work though they don’t have to commute or get ready. Because you have no official lunch breaks, people tend to forget about eating and resting. And in the end, start to work way more than while in the office. Such a person soon starts to sleep less, gets irritated, loses motivation, and starts to experience anxiety.
How to avoid problems while working from home?
Stick to your schedule
A big part of the stress comes from the fact that remote workers don’t have a stable and understandable schedule like office workers. You get distracted with cooking and cleaning. Your family tries to interfere every now and then. There are a few things that you can do to avoid this situation. First, close the door of your room and ask your family to respect that you are busy during work time. Though you are physically at home, in reality, you are doing your job. And any distractions can worsen your productivity. Second, create your work schedule and follow it as if you are in the office. It will help you to avoid procrastination and stress caused by delays.
Take regular breaks
Many successful people say that the ideal time for rest is just before you feel tired. Plan regular breaks in your schedule and never miss them however busy you feel. For some reason, people who work from home feel way guiltier about missing deadlines. They tend to overwork so as to show that they are being overproductive. However, this makes no sense as in the end they will only get exhausted. Regular breaks are not wasting your time; they let you refresh and keep your brain powerful and efficient.
Have a walk
Breathing fresh air and watching nature can have a tremendous effect on your health. Being physically active and being totally out of work and reach for 15 minutes (yes, leave your phone at home or at least turn off all the messengers) can help you stay even more focused and productive after you come back.
Clean up your table
Our brain gets information about our surroundings even if we don’t notice it. Many papers on your table can make you subconsciously more anxious and finally cause burnout. Keep only the papers needed for your current task on the table, and for sure put everything in the drawer when your work day is over.
Take a vacation
When you start to notice that you are too irritated and annoyed, don’t wait until it gets too far. Take a day off or two and have a rest. Forget about work and put your thoughts back in order. While it would be great to have a normal two-week vacation, even a couple of days can help you feel less stressed and get out of your mental cage. During, this small vacation, travel, make short trips, and just do things that are unusual to you. Your brain will get new experiences and you will feel way better soon.
Create your personal reward system
If it is hard for you to stay focused on work, create your own rewards for staying productive and finishing work on time. The treat can be anything, from a nice cake to a yoga class. What’s important is that your brain knows that it is working not in vain. A reward will follow.
How do you cope with stress at work? Have you ever had remote work burnout? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below.
