Burning out at Home: 4 Common Challenges for Remote Work
By: Organizations For Impact
Tags: Work From Home, Burnout, Remote Work

Written by Rebecca Lee, Lillie Sun & Christine Yip, edited by Crystal Li

With plans to work for home lasting longer than any of us expected, it’s time to buckle down and address some of the real challenges that come with it.

When the stay at home orders first came into play, many of us thought we’d get a chance to take a breath and slow down from our day-to-day grind. Some have. For others, that expected sigh of relief has yet to come. Though our work environments may have drastically changed in the last few months, the risks of burnout have not. In fact, we may be at risk now more than ever.

The problem is, employees aren’t just working from home. They’re simultaneously adjusting to the unique needs that working remotely brings with it, all while balancing personal and family responsibilities. On top of all that, there is a big shadow over everyone’s heads — anxiety. Anxiety about job security. Anxiety about staying safe. Anxiety about what comes next. All of this adds stress to our day-to-day lives, and the more stress that we experience at one time, the higher risk we are of burnout (see our post “demystifying burnout” for a review of the impacts of burnout).

What does the research say?

Despite the extraordinary circumstances we are in, it is possible to adapt to our circumstances, and find ways to manage the impact of these demands on our psychological health. Researchers studying stress and burnout at work have long studied the relationship between job demands, stress, and burnout. The job demands-resources (JD-R) model is a framework of stress at work that is supported by decades of research. Using this model, researchers have demonstrated that high levels of job demands (e.g., high workloads, workplace conflicts, unstable schedules, etc.) will lead to stress and eventually burnout, but there are certain job resources (e.g., supervisor support, stability in work hours, clear role expectations, etc.) that can reduce stress and minimize the risk of burnout. For a full list of common job demands and useful resources supported by research and practice, check out our list of 10 Stressors Leading to Burnout.

We drew from the JD-R model and its supporting research to help guide our thinking, and serve as a foundation to understand which job demands might be playing a greater role for those working from home right now. The following is a list we compiled of some of the more pressing job demands many are likely experiencing, and some evidence backed recommendations on how to address them.

1. Blurred Boundaries

Right now, boundaries between work-life and home-life may feel non-existent. Many people are working from home with less than ideal “offices” and new “coworkers” (children, parents, pets). These circumstances make it difficult to concentrate on one task at a time, leaving many of us to feel like we are unable to juggle being an effective employee, partner, parent, friend, and/or caretaker.

Take Action

Define a daily routine for your work and life activities and stick to it. This might mean a dose of healthy communication (and perhaps negotiation) with your partner, your manager, and your team. If you share your calendar with your team, consider blocking out your off work times so people can easily see when you’re available (or not!).

Identify your boundaries. If you know you need a break from the endless screen time during the day, make that happen. This might mean you have to ignore the ping or email coming from your boss or your team over lunch. Though this may seem obvious or overly simplistic, knowing and enforcing our boundaries takes intention, but the rewards of doing so are worth it.

Similarly, ask your family members to respect your working hours and home office space. Loved ones can sometimes assume that since you’re home, you’re available, which can make it difficult to concentrate on working efficiently.

2. Uncertainty

One of the biggest challenges of working during these circumstances is the rising anxiety and uncertainty around us. We have quickly transitioned from worrying about whether we’re late to our next meeting, to whether our savings accounts will last, and whether the people we love will be safe. While focusing on your work can serve as an important distraction from the pandemic and provide some sense of stability, it is undoubtedly harder to maintain focus, keep motivated, and maintain productivity at this time.

Take Action

At organizations today, there should be nothing more important than the promotion and support of mental health and wellness of employees. A supportive supervisor (and team) must be able to adjust work expectations and show empathy and compassion for all employees, not just those that are visibly struggling.

If you need assistance, try to start a dialogue with your supervisor about how you’re adjusting to the “new normal” and ask them for advice. Don’t hesitate to take advantage of mental health and wellness programs your company offers. These EAP programs can help you manage through these new uncertainties.

If this is one of your first times feeling overwhelmed or experiencing increased levels of anxiety, take a step back from your work and your thoughts. Though it won’t solve all your problems, regularly take walks, meditate, or close your eyes and listen to some music to detach your mind and body from your anxious thoughts, even if just for a little while.

3. Unclear Expectations

Unfortunately, COVID-19 has impacted many workplaces, resulting in furloughs, lay-offs, and staffing shortages. If you’re currently still employed, you may be feeling a mixed emotions — thankful to still have a job, guilty that your colleagues do not, and also fearful that you might be next. On top of this, you may find yourself having to pick up additional tasks and unfamiliar roles from those who were let go. This increased uncertainty and workload can cause additional stress and pressure to an already difficult situation.

Take Action

It is important that supervisors help clarify with team members about how work will be redistributed, and what the changing expectations are. This is especially important if roles and responsibilities are shifting from one team or individual to another. If you manage a team, make sure to reiterate the change to the team so that everyone is aligned about who is responsible for what moving forward.

Two way communication between you and your supervisor will be critical as everyone works through the new normal. Clarify what is expected of you, inquire about what help is available if you are overloaded, and work through what should be prioritized. Setting the tone of “we are all in this together” will be important.

It is important for managers and leaders to also provide positive reinforcement to their teams and ensure they are being recognized for their efforts. A surprise pizza delivered at lunch or a card or email to say thank you goes a long way.

4. Childcare Responsibilities

Many parents who are still employed are experiencing unprecedented challenges to balance their workloads with childcare responsibilities. Between endless video calls and homeschooling assignments, parents are being pushed to the limit. As we wait to see in the coming weeks whether businesses, childcare facilities, and summer day camps will be opened, it continues to be a juggling act, leaving parents little time to unwind and detach.

Take Action

Many parents have already figured out creative ways to adjust their schedule and coordinate “shifts” with partners or grandparents to take care of the kids. However this leaves little time for parents to have some downtime to unwind.

Finding time to mentally detach from your responsibilities and give yourself time to “re-energize” will be critical to ensure you don’t burnout out before some of the childcare restrictions are lifted. Take a look at your schedule and find time to replenish your own energy; this could be 10-minutes of quiet meditation in the morning, a late-night run, or listening to a podcast before bed. As important as it is to take care of others, you can’t be there for those you care about if you are not also taking time to take care of yourself!

Regardless of what the new “normal” is for you, your team, and your workplace, it’s important to remember that we all deal with uncertainty and anxiety in different ways. The current demands and complexities we are facing make burnout a real risk if people do not have sufficient resources to cope with the added demands. The key to preventing burnout is first being aware to recognize the extra demands that are causing you significant stress. This awareness can help you identify the appropriate resources or strategies to minimize the strain on your well-being. By asking for help, making positive changes to the things you can control, and patient and kind to yourself as you work through it, we can make our current situation a little bit easier to manage.

To help managers working remotely for the first time, we have published some helpful guidelines for managing remote teams on our website. Visit our Resources page to access them now.