Is WFH burning you out? |India Today Insight – India Today

On May 22, Google announced a company holiday for all its employees. Why? So that they could all switch off from work for a day. Work from home burnout is a real thing and a matter of concern, for employees and employers alike. Being constantly wired and connected, working without time boundaries, feeling isolated, not being able to interact with colleagues or go for tea or coffee breaks with them, can all lead to anxiety. There is no avenue to even blow off steam post work anymore.

According to a recent survey done by Monster, more than 50 per cent of the respondents working from home due to the coronavirus pandemic are feeling burnt out. During the pre-Covid days, work-from-home (WFH) was considered to be a cool and progressive way of working. Now it has become a norm. This change in work culture had to be done overnight with a lack of preparedness, no control or choice in it. There is no doubt that WFH comes with perks like zero commute time, flexible work schedule and more bonding time with the family. However, says ontological coach and author Geeta Ramakrishnan, As the novelty of this new reality is wearing off, it is resulting in increased mental health issues, such as high anxiety, apathy, physical and mental fatigue, and a range of depression-related concerns.

Understanding the problem

Before Covid, WFH was a privilege extended by employers as a special benefit to retain certain employees. Now, things have changed. With work for home, one doesnt have well-defined boundaries between work and life, so mixing the two can become very easy, says Luke Coutinho, holistic lifestyle coach, integrative medicine.

Dr Prerna Kohli, clinical psychologist, corroborates this. She says, Previously there was a clear distinction between the workplace and home. Employees dressed in their corporate uniforms, packed their lunches, and left for work, leaving their home problems at home, and returned home at the end of the day, leaving work at work. Today, this line has been blurred. People start working in their nightwear or casual clothes and hurriedly grab lunch while working. In the fear of being laid-off, employees are working longer hours and harder during WFH and its resulting in work-life imbalance.

If this burnout is not managed, it can lead to loss of manpower hours and the workforce suffering from lifestyle diseases.

Signs of the problem

Simply put, burnout is the state of feeling depleted in terms of energyphysical and mental. So, does it have telltale signs? Quite a fewirritability, lack of patience, low tolerance level, emotional breakdowns, backaches, neck pain, lethargy, mind fog, carpel tunnel syndrome, insomnia, demotivation and reduced productivity. Take the example of Abhishek Gupta (name changed on request), an investment banker who lives alone in his penthouse in Mumbai. A workaholic and type-A personality, he has always been a go-getter and a team player at work. After the lockdown was announced on March 24, he too, like so many others, began his WFH. But, for a month now he has been feeling demotivated, stressed and irritable. On the request of his senior, he did a video consultation with his company doctor and was diagnosed with symptoms of clinical depression, as a result of work pressure and no time off. Coutinho says, WFH at times can be so bad that it could transcend into our emotional self and disturb our capacity to handle stress, which, at a time like this, is at its lowest. The lack of social contact and being confined to a small space can be intimidating. Added to the already existing string of stress is the fear and uncertainty about ones future. Will I lose my job? Will I get COVID? Will I have enough money to sustain myself?

Most often, when one has to deal with changes in lifestyle and work without giving the mind a chance to recalibrate, one tends to automatically go in survival modefight or flight. The brain is on an all-time high stress alert with your analytical and problem-solving skills at an all-time low. WFH in a pandemic is a perfect example. The high stress mode of operating becomes your new normal and this auto alert process saps your physical and mental energy causing what we now call a WFH burnout, says Ramakrishnan. Apart from getting tired fast, one gets bored and restless easily. A degree of apathy creeps in. One feels disinterested and sad for no reason and is unable to distinguish the border between work and no-work. This inability to cope can lead to frustration and irritable behaviour. You procrastinate more and your focused attention span decreases. Your hunger and need to eat either reduces or increases drastically. You manage to get some sleep but still feel sleep deprived, she adds.

Addressing the problem

Time management and self-discipline are key. Its important to have a routine similar to what you followed before the lockdown. Maintain a consistent sleep cycle, ensure adequate physical exercise, and take some time out for yourself to do the things you enjoy. Pick up a hobby such as art, music or reading, and use this opportunity to upskill. Take it one day at a time and set short-term targets to feel a sense of accomplishment, suggests Dr Samir Parikh, director and head of department of mental health and behavioural sciences, Fortis Healthcare.

Its a good idea to dress in your work attire as well, work out of a dedicated space like a desk and chair and avoid working in bed. Take regular breaks to avoid fatigue. Try to achieve a regular sleep cycle and exercise at home, practice yoga and meditation.There are various tools and techniques, like Pomodoro [a technique in which a 5-minute break is recommended after every 25 minutes of work], to help you schedule breaks in between work and use it well, says Coutinho. Use these breaks to stretch, get some fresh air, wash your face to freshen up, do eye exercises, lie down for two minutes and close your eyes. But, most importantly, value your Sundays. There is no pride in working seven days a week.

WFH may be something we have to adapt to with no choice in the matter, or it could be a temporary, but accepting it as the only way right now will help bring positivity to it. Ramakrishnan says, Defining clear boundaries is important. It could be small acts of discipline like avoiding the temptation to read office emails or taking work calls or attending webinars outside of work hours; or prioritising your work by labeling them as urgent or not-urgent.

Employers also need to play an active role in ensuring that the mental health of their employees does not suffer. They should not expect them to be available 24x7 and be productive all the time. Dr Kohli, who recently counselled a young software developer, says, He was missing the structure of working in the office and was also anxious about his parents in Lucknow. His chief complaint was that for the last few days he hadnt written a single line of code. I believe the employers must engage mental health counsellors for their staff dealing with this situation.

Going forward, the work culture will include lots of WFH as companies implement a once or twice a week only work from the office set up. In order to avoid burnout, balance your personal and professional life, and stay productive, set office hours and work only during that time.

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Is WFH burning you out? |India Today Insight - India Today