Tens of millions around the world and in almost all countries, who are trying to continue their work from home, face the risk of “psychological burnout”, as they face the pressures of constantly changing health guidelines in conjunction with the pressures of work and home.
In fact, psychological burnout is not considered a new thing, as it is a constantly recurring condition and usually results from the accumulation of pressures at work in the first place and the inability to achieve a balance between work requirements, but of course it became more common after the stress of the epidemic was added to the list of problems facing workers from home.
Many had hoped that the clouds of the epidemic would clear and begin to restore their normal lives and achieve the desired balance, whether with a return to the offices or even if they continued at home, but with an open society and freedom of movement, and while this goal seemed to be approaching with the publication of vaccines, the emergence of variables such as “Delta” disrupted these plans.
With the increase in infections around the world as a result of the epidemic, companies still prefer to continue working from home, even companies such as “Apple” and “Facebook” have postponed plans to return until next year, despite the rapid pace of vaccination in the United States of America.
The second fall of the pandemic is almost worse than the first because so many people were hoping and preparing for a light at the end of the tunnel, says Dr. Laura Pendergrass, a psychologist who focuses on the job market and advises US companies.
“People were exhausted at the start of the lockdown, but it’s even more tiring to focus on work when the world still feels like it’s behind bars 18 months later,” she added, according to a CNBC report.
In a recent Tiny Bulls survey, 86% of American workers reported a high degree of burnout, compared to 69% of traditional employees. However, Pendergrass says there are small changes that can make working from home more peaceful and happier.
power charging
Research conducted by NordVBN concluded that working from home due to the epidemic was not a grant for employees to spend more free time, but rather pushed them to work an additional two and a half hours a day compared to the previous one.
Instead, Pendergrass recommends staying away from working computer screens for at least one hour a day, and spending that time doing an activity you love.
“If you work from home, especially for 18 months, work can permeate all aspects of your life. Breaks help us stop and reset the work-life balance,” says the psychologist.
Organizing life in a schedule
If the list of tasks that a person faces at work and at home is accumulated, especially in light of the fears and stresses associated with the epidemic, then the person is exposed to overwhelming pressure and unnecessary stress.
Here, it would be useful, and the best way to combat burnout, by setting a person’s goals and knowing how to implement them, but this should not include long-term goals, such as a project at work that takes months, as this will not give the mind the positive reinforcement it needs.
It is better to focus on short-term goals, and put them in the to-do list, which can be checked at the end of the day or week at the most, for example; Cleaning the house or responding to emails and making appointments.
Preparing these lists not only helps to overcome the chaos of personal life, but also contributes to containing anxiety and reviving feelings and desire to achieve goals.
Start a new project
Among the most prominent causes of psychological burnout is the feeling of not doing the role or making enough effort, such as a sense of monotony or repeating the same job routine on a daily basis, and this person may feel that he is not influential in his work and his life is meaningless.
To avoid this psychological spiral, the psychological expert advises workers to think of a new big goal to stimulate a sense of hope, and this includes thinking about the best way to use his skills or work in a different way, or how to contribute to the company in an entirely new way.
In general, employees should search diligently for different projects or side activities that they can engage in, and that may feel their ability to make a positive impact in the world, according to Pendergrass, who concluded by saying, “It is really important that you find hope. Your work is important.”