For some of us, working from home can actually be a real productivity booster because there aren’t as many distractions. When you’re in your own space, you don’t have to worry about all those random chats and interruptions that happen in the office, so you can concentrate better and get more work done.

But working from home is not all rainbows and butterflies. When your work and personal life are both under the same space, then it becomes challenging not just for you but with other aspects of your life too. It’ll be hard to find the line that separates the two, and you might experience more challenges that will come your way. But when you master the art of working from home then it might be wonderful for you.

Let’s be honest. When you work from home, there is a tendency to work more. And not being able to discipline yourself and pull yourself away from work can easily lead to burnout. When you’re in the zone, it’s easy to become so focused that you don’t notice what’s happening around you. You might even forget about lunchtime or not respond to a family member who needs something because you’re so engrossed in your work. It’s important to strike a balance between work and other aspects of life, as focusing solely on work can be unhealthy. Without taking breaks and engaging in other activities, it’s easy to feel exhausted or disconnected from the rest of the world.

Here are actionable ways to help you avoid burnout and feel less isolated while working remotely.

Design your work day and a workspace for yourself

When you work from home, you have the flexibility to create a routine that works for your office schedule. Setting up a routine can help you keep a work-life balance and reminds you when to start, pause, and stop. Figure out the time when you want to start work. Do you want to dive into work right after you wake up in the morning, or maybe you want to fix yourself first, make some breakfast, walk outside, or do some exercises? Giving yourself time to defrost from your ‘just woke up’ self can make you more ready to power through the day. 

Then throughout your working day, don’t forget to take breaks. Stand up and take time to break away from the screen. Do something that will make you feel good. Like getting some water, doing a little organizing, or just giving your dog a belly rub. Sometimes, when we’re so focused on work, we tend to forget to relax a bit. Adding a calendar appointment or maybe setting an alarm would help. Taking a 15-minute break will not hurt. Try it and it will make you feel recharged afterwards.

When you establish a routine, it’s also important to have a specific workspace that you can call your own. Make sure that the people around you know that it is your workplace and it should be treated as is. Make sure to get creative by putting your personal touch to it. A clean, organized, and inspiring workspace can make you more motivated to work.

The ultimate perk of being on a work from home setup is that you have that flexibility in your routine. Just try to have some kind of consistent schedule or find happiness in the little things throughout your day. Work taking over every minute of your day is not healthy and not productive as well.

Call your teammates and work together.

Working from home doesn’t mean that you should isolate yourself and just work alone. Try scheduling a time where you can talk with your team members, ask them how they are doing, or just work together without the pressure of talking to them – like their presence is enough to keep you company. Virtually working with someone can help you feel connected. Making moments feel more human can boost your productivity and can lessen the stress and anxiety that you’re feeling whenever you’re working alone or at home.

Joining social activities organized by your company is a great way to connect with other people too. Find more time and make an effort to participate in these kinds of activities. A lot of your coworkers are craving for company too, so this is an opportunity for you to get involved in the discussion and make new friends along the way. 

Stick to priorities and put a hard stop.

Make sure to be efficient with your time and finish all your to-do list during your work schedule. Be disciplined enough to keep work-related stuff during office hours, and accept that sometimes, it’s not possible to finish everything. Work on your time management, refocus your energy, and get organized with your schedule. You don’t have to feel that you’re working non-stop because it can make you feel unhappy and never feeling done. 

Focus more on quality rather than quantity. Instead of moving from one task to another, focus on one task at a time, and give your best effort to finish it. Workload will just keep on coming. There is always more to do, so it’s up to you to maximize your working hours, finish your tasks, and decide when to stop. 

When you’re disciplined with your schedule, your team members will also be able to learn about your time and respect that you should only be working on those schedules that you set for yourself.

Conclusion

We don’t want burnout and isolation to happen to us and to our team members. If we’re more mindful of our every day and we know how to take care of ourselves, then working from home can be extremely beneficial to us. If we make a habit of things, spend time with more people, be disciplined with our time, and do things we enjoy, we can definitely overcome the isolation and burnout that come with working from home.

Did you know that Filta is still on Work from Home setup? If you’re interested to be part of our Filta Community, check out our open roles at www.filtaglobal.com/careers