With the unlimited benefits working from home has to offer including, some issues emerge sooner or later. There comes the indefinite distinction between your personal and professional life as well as that between night and day. This may not be true for all but, with the lack of physical supervision comes the inevitable complacency or loss of motivation in our job.
Anyone who has worked from home for an unusually long period like this seemingly never-ending pandemic knows how much of a mental torment it is. And so, no matter how much they push themselves to do their best at work, they only get more burdened by what seems like an unending cycle of attending to responsibilities with work and at home, all while being stuck in the same place with a lack of other options. If you’ve fallen numb and exhausted with the same old routine, here are ways you can slowly recover that vigor not only at work but in life too:
Weekend Soul Detox
Sure, you would rather sleep your Saturdays and Sundays away, knowing how much you’ve worn your body out from your daily nine-to-five. Still, you have to remember that aside from recuperating physically engaging in mentally revitalizing activities is just as important. Sleeping can only do so much for your well-being.
If you want a recharged mind that’s ready to tackle the Monday to Friday mental battle, dedicate a portion of your weekend to unloading your thoughts on a journal. Break down your negative and intrusive thoughts and think of ways to overcome these. Recall the past week’s happy and triumphant moments and remind yourself of the valuable things you would rather spend your energy on while letting go of those you can’t.
Don’t Spend Your Weekends in Vain
Even those who thrive in routines sometimes want to break out from such a predictable life. If you’ve gotten exasperated with working from home, breaking the cycle is another way you can be okay again with it for another week and then another. Take charge of those free 48 hours and make it a point to do at least one unique thing every weekend.
Of course, you have to do your weekly tasks of cleaning the house and prepping meals. Your environment and diet do a lot in keeping you sane, after all. But, do give yourself the incentive to engage in stimulating yet still healthy activities like exercise and art.
There are workout videos you can play from your phone and cast into your TV so you can conveniently follow the moves if you want to save on exercise equipment. You can also subscribe for monthly craft supplies and enjoy the process of creating like you did when you were younger. If you find gardening too tedious, try planting herbs, which can survive even when they’re placed on your window sill.
Start a Passion Project
Another probable reason so many have gotten exhausted from work-from-home is the reality that this unusual setup isn’t ending soon. Also, many had to cancel grand life plans and are itching to get back on them, but the circumstances simply don’t permit. And so, feeling both frustrated and hopeless at the same time.
While it is hard to accept, things are never going to be the way they were pre-pandemic. It will take some soul-searching but, instead of overthinking how things should have been if there had been no pandemic, think of new routes for growth other than the professional aspect. For example, you could design your dream house and research how to build and finance it or shop for an online course that could spark your interest and help you grow additional income streams.
Patch up Your Relationship with Your Family
Prolonged time together means more chances of friction between you and your family. Still, no rift cannot be fixed with better communication. At some point, you might have gotten irritated with them interrupting you while working. But, your relationship with your family need not deteriorate because of these encounters.
Rather than blaming it on the WFH setup that you cannot seem to get used to, find ways to set boundaries between work and home. Work within your work hours and, during those hours, do not allow anyone in your room. Hang a ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign outside your home office if you want and tell them that you will only entertain emergencies for the time being.
But, be present for them outside working hours and on weekends. Ask them how they are and if there is anything you can help them with. Initiating the bond will almost naturally be reciprocated.
Work-from-home fatigue is real, and you can overcome it. First, you have to accept that work is much different from what it used to be. Also, you have to look out for yourself more than ever.
