# Working from home, everyone is different. Author: Pal Sinha, Barnali Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali Published: 2021-02-09 Category: BUSINESS Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/business Meta Title: How to Avoid Burnout and Loneliness When Working from Home Meta Description: Learn how to set boundaries, combat loneliness, and establish a good work-from-home routine to prevent burnout and increase productivity during lockdown. URL: https://financedigest.com/working-from-home-everyone-is-differenthtml ![undefined](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/graphicstock-man-sitting-at-the-desk-working-from-home-on-computer-holding-a-smart-phone-wearing-headseatrd46zuhszw-scaled-1736838587189-compressed.jpg) _By **Joanna,** an accredited and qualified Health Coach specializing in working with clients and businesses to protect from the negative affects of stress and burnout._ Ok, so we all are experiencing lockdown.  Restrictions to our daily lives and freedoms are in place and for many that means working from home. There are many things that we share with this experience – our office and leisure time is now in the same place, but how we cope, deal and experience this new norm is different. Whilst our day-to-day experience is the same, there are still a number of challenges that we share and should be aware of and manage to [avoid burnout](https://www.financedigest.com/how-to-avoid-tech-burnout-from-big-transformations.html "How to avoid tech burnout from big transformations"), poor sleep, and productivity. - Setting boundaries for work/ leisure – [work is creeping more into down time and that is impacting](https://www.financedigest.com/problems-at-home-impact-employee-creativity-more-than-problems-at-work.html "Problems at home impact employee creativity more than problems at work") sleep, relationships, and stress. - Combating loneliness when you are [working from home](https://www.financedigest.com/how-to-maintain-physical-and-mental-health-while-working-from-home.html "How to maintain physical and mental health while working from home") and living alone in lockdown. - How to build a good WFH routine – including movement, work scheduling and switching off. ![Joanna Shurety](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/headshot-1-450x645-1736838586695-compressed.jpg) Joanna Shurety **Boundaries** – Really, essential. With leisure being restricted, and to be honest, beginning to feel like Groundhog Day, the temptation to crack on with [work well](https://www.financedigest.com/biden-says-he-is-doing-well-working-after-testing-positive-for-covid.html "Biden says he is ‘doing well,’ working after testing positive for COVID") into the evening, or be permanently connected is strong.  But just because there is not much to do that does not mean that downtime and recovery isn’t essential.   Giving our brains and bodies a chance to recharge and reconnect is powerful in improving our ability to perform, be productive, creative, and energised through the [working day](https://www.financedigest.com/no-more-five-working-days-how-getting-paid-immediately-can-transform-black-friday-for-merchants.html "No more ‘five working days’ – how getting paid immediately can transform Black Friday for merchants").  So, try and stick to a start and [end time](https://www.financedigest.com/hedge-funds-set-to-end-2021-with-inflows-for-first-time-in-three-years.html "Hedge funds set to end 2021 with inflows for first time in three years") with work, use the non-work time to recharge – go for walk, have a relaxing bath, make something nice for dinner, read, do a hobby, do some movement, listen to some music, binge on Netflix.  The downtime you give yourself in the evening will be beneficial for the quality of your sleep and therefore energy the [next day](https://www.financedigest.com/markforged-announces-the-metal-x-gen-2-next-day-metal-and-the-x7-field-edition.html "Markforged Announces the Metal X Gen 2, Next Day Metal, and the X7 Field Edition"). **Loneliness** – [working from home can mean](https://www.financedigest.com/working-from-home-what-does-it-mean-for-your-taxes.html "Working from home: what does it mean for your taxes?") we are either super connected (Zooming all day) or completely isolated.  Either way, loneliness can creep in and be incredibly damaging.  Even those that are seeing people on screen all day are still missing out on those small, informal chats and connections during the day – those ‘water cooler’ moments.  [Connections are so important](https://www.financedigest.com/importance-of-transparency-and-connections-in-business.html "Importance of Transparency and Connections in Business") and so it may take a bit of effort to keep it going, especially as there is one topic of conversation and not much to catch up on as no one is going anywhere!  But, just reaching out, sharing how you are feeling, having a laugh, talking rubbish, really lifts the mood and keeps that essential connections with friends and family.  Loneliness is as harmful as smoking and you can get sucked into the black hole of isolation really easily (even if its in your own head), so making a regular point to [call a friend or check in on a loved one is a good way to keep that contact going until we can see people](https://www.financedigest.com/power-to-the-people-how-consumers-are-calling-the-shots-when-it-comes-to-data-privacy.html "Power to the people: how consumers are calling the shots when it comes to data privacy") again. **Routine**–  this can help us feel a bit more control in a situation that we have very little over!  Boundaries are key to this working.  It may seem a struggle to set a routine if you are juggling many things at the moment (home schooling, caring, covering for colleagues) as well as doing your role, but it doesn’t have to be super controlled to the exact minute, it can be broken into pockets of time.  A good way to approach routine is as follows: - Start and end time for your day – even if that is a little different at the moment, sticking to this will stop work taking over. Closing down the laptop, [clearing work away](https://www.financedigest.com/turkey-clears-away-rubble-from-earthquake-rescue-efforts-wind-down.html "Turkey clears away rubble from earthquake, rescue efforts wind down") and switching off work notifications (or putting the work phone in a drawer) will all help with that transition from work to leisure.  Having visual [prompts and pings from your phone every 10 mins will make it harder to switch](https://www.financedigest.com/european-gas-price-surge-prompts-switch-to-coal.html "European gas price surge prompts switch to coal") the mind off from work. - Be the boss of your day - Take some [time in the morning to plan what needs](https://www.financedigest.com/time-has-run-out-3ds2-is-here-and-retailers-need-to-be-on-board.html "Time has run out – 3DS2 is here and retailers need to be on board ") doing – make it realistic. - Take some time at the end of the day to close the day down, tick off the areas of your to-do-list and list what needs to doing tomorrow – this will [stop you thinking](https://www.financedigest.com/new-uk-pm-must-be-radical-to-stop-power-bill-catastrophe-think-tank.html "New UK PM must be radical to stop power bill catastrophe – think tank") about it in the evening and night. - Take a break – a break (however small) will recharge your batteries and keep [energy levels](https://www.financedigest.com/ukraine-war-energy-crisis-send-german-business-sentiment-to-lowest-level-since-june-2020.html "Ukraine war, energy crisis send German business sentiment to lowest level since June 2020") high. Take the time to eat, hydrate and move. - [Create opportunities](https://www.financedigest.com/grain-and-cereal-crop-market-novel-technological-solutions-will-create-lucrative-growth-opportunities.html "Grain And Cereal Crop Market : Novel Technological Solutions Will Create Lucrative Growth Opportunities") for leisure – having things fill your time in the evening is a good way to distract from work and enable you to switch off. Phone a friend, read, watch a movie, bake or do a hobby.  All of these evening activities will help bring the body and mind down a notch and therefore enhance the quality of your sleep. Ultimately its all about putting each of these in place for your unique situation, but all can be done without much thinking or time.  By creating these habits you will feel more in control, having a [set time](https://www.financedigest.com/in-line-transit-time-ultrasonic-flow-meters-sales-are-set-to-be-valued-at-us-337-5-mn-in-2021.html "In-Line Transit Time Ultrasonic Flow Meters sales are set to be valued at US$ 337.5 Mn in 2021") for work will focus the mind and make you more productive in that time. --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. ---