Remote work has transformed the world in just two short years. It changed where we work and how we work. Today, working from home is basically synonymous to working from anywhere.
However, it’s not without its challenges and drawbacks.
Without proper time management, the remote workplace can leave you feeling even more stressed and exhausted than when you were at the office. Thus, to avoid burnout and Zoom fatigue, consider these eight practical ways to cut down on WFH stress:
Have Audio-Only Meetings
Constantly gazing into your webcam can be stressful and can make you feel oddly self-conscious.
Hence, to take some of the edge off, why not impose an audio-only meetings policy?
This way, you can use a wireless headset and pace around the room if you feel the need to.
Lose the Gallery View
Look, video calls are okay – until you see a virtual room full of people staring at you. If you find this intimidating, turn off the gallery view and just shift to the speaker view.
Plus, this makes it easier to lead meetings since you’ll immediately see the team members who speak out or ask questions onscreen.
Stop Checking Yourself Out on Camera
Sure, you have to look presentable. However, constantly fidgeting to figure out your best angle can be distracting.
To avoid this, you can always hide your self-view. This way, you can focus more intently on the discussion.
Reduce Unnecessary Meetings
Meetings aren’t always the answer to problems. (They hardly ever are, come to think of it.)
But they are almost always stressful.
So if a meeting can be replaced by a text or an email, skip it. Why stress yourself out otherwise?
However, if you really must, keep things concise and to the point. As much as possible, try not to go beyond 45 minutes.
Get Up and Move
Prolonged isolation can take a toll on your physical and mental health.
If you find yourself constantly sitting in front of your computer for days on end, it’s time to get up -and get out. Do a few quick yoga stretches. Go for a jog. Meditate.
In other words, take a break. Having a strong rest ethic is equally important as a strong work ethic.
Take Time to Disconnect
Logging in to social media isn’t considered a break by the way. Aside from the fact that it’s a passive activity, who needs all that unnecessary stress and peer pressure?
Instead, disconnect from work (as well as other online platforms). Try to stay active, be more deliberate and mindful about rest, and exert more effort to reconnect with your loved ones.
Stay Healthy
What better way to reduce work fatigue than to stay healthy?
The beauty of working from home is that you have more control over what you eat. You can even work out between meetings, if you wanted to.
Remember, a healthy body always goes hand in hand with a healthy mind. And vice versa.
Find Harmony
Sometimes, it’s not enough to have rest days. Ultimately, you also want to find harmony and improve your overall well-being.
While there may be days where work consumes more of your time, these days aren’t permanent. They should be the exception rather than the norm.
At the end of the day, cultivating a healthy balance between work and your personal life will help you reduce stress – and ultimately enable you to become a better leader.
Remote Staff has been assisting Australian SMEs and entrepreneurs like you find and hire skilled remote workers from the Philippines since 2007. Aside from hiring, we also provide ongoing support throughout the working relationship – giving you one less thing to stress about.
Call us today or schedule a call back and let’s get started.
Serena has been working remotely and writing content for the better part of the last decade. To date, she's written for Pepper.ph and Mabuhay Magazine, among others, and has churned out more than a thousand articles on everything from The Basics of Stock Market Investing to How to Make Milk Tea-Flavored Taho at home. Hermits, aspiring hermits, and non-hermits with interesting project propositions may email her at serena.estrella10@gmail.com.
