Before the pandemic hit, the daily commute served as a welcome opportunity to clear one's head. Like pressing the day's reset button. Our daily routine disintegrated the moment we began working from home. The boundary between working from home and relaxing there began to dissolve.

A common side effect of telecommuting, especially over the course of a lengthy shift, is fatigue. How can we reclaim our power and Establish clear boundaries between work and leisure time? Before we can design solutions that promote work-life harmony, we must first define weariness in the context of Remote work.

What Is Fatigue?

Exhaustion on a physical and mental level is what we mean when we talk about fatigue. Workplace exhaustion might make you feel like there's no way out of your pile of tasks.

It's normal to feel tired after a Zoom call, so don't worry if it's happened to you. Surveyed workers who had switched to remote work reported experiencing digital overload at a rate of as high as 73%. Why do people get so tired after Zoom meetings? Maybe it's because we were able to breeze through meetings and go right into working together on projects while we were in the same office. These days, it appears as though many calls end with more questions than answers and more uncertainty than clarity.

While we initially believed that working from home would be excellent (no need to get dressed, travel to work, and sit at a desk for hours), switching to a home office has resulted in a nonstop flow of work that frequently feels out of control. Though we have more time to get things done without commuting, we lack the built-in breaks that working in an office afforded.

It's easy to assume that working from home means spending more time asleep than awake, but that's not necessarily the case. Here are six ways to Reduce the negative effects of remote work on your health and reclaim some of your independence.

Tips to Reduce Remote Work Fatigue

Having a clear separation between your work life and personal life is essential for getting things done at home. Working from home doesn't mean you have to let work absorb every spare minute.

1. Reduce Excess Stimulation

Getting less tired in the morning is crucial if you want to have energy throughout the day. The visual stimulation and the potential for disruptions during an online conference call can be particularly taxing.

It's better to ask your manager whether there's a way to eliminate pointless meetings than to resign yourself to endless video conferences. If that is not an option, then only include people who have a genuine stake in the outcome of the call. Simplifying meetings by inviting only key personnel can save time and energy (fewer distractions on screen). Using solely sound is another way to reduce stimulation. Having to be constantly "on" for long periods of time can be stressful, and avoiding having to stare at a gallery of faces can help relieve some of that tension.

Being a telecommuter gives you the freedom to take a call anywhere, even the backyard or a stroll around the neighborhood. Keep only the device on which the call is being made open if you are making an audio call. Attempting to juggle many tasks while on a call can only lead to frustration and exhaustion.

2. Give Your Eyes a 20-Second Break

All of us have felt the familiar ache in our temples after staring at a screen for too long. The "20-20-20 rule" suggests taking a 20-second break every 20 minutes, during which time you should look at an item that is 20 feet away from you to give your eyes a rest.

During your time to concentrate, pick an area in the room that you find most conducive to your work. That's where I'd put a "Hang in There, Kitty" sign. To relax, I stare into the cat's eyes for 20 seconds while focusing on deep breathing and trying to put work out of my mind.

Twenty seconds is crucial since that's how long it takes for your eyes to go into a deep state of relaxation. Getting into this routine will help you relax and minimize the number of headaches you experience from staring at a screen all day.

3. Don't Fall Victim to the Myth of Multitasking

How often have you thought, "If only I could do that while I'm working, I'd get so much more done!" It's a feeling shared by the whole human race. We've been busy making dinner for the whole family, and now we have to wait for the business call that's about to begin.

As much as we'd like to believe otherwise, multitasking actually slows you down. Since your brain has to switch gears between the two activities, the result might be a decline in productivity and an increase in the likelihood of remote worker burnout.

Instead, work on only one thing at a time, whether it's an email or a spreadsheet. Don't try to cram as much as possible into your workday. Use your phone's "Do Not Disturb" setting to minimize interruptions. Keep only the necessary tabs open at a time. Do your best to avoid the front door if delivery is imminent. Negative environmental factors can be greatly reduced by eliminating potential sources of irritation.

4. Start a fitness routine

It's a cliche to say that exercising exercise is a great way to relieve stress, but it's also true. A simple stroll, some stretching or yoga, or some time in the home gym can do wonders for clearing the mind. If you make exercising a habit, you will feel less weary and have more energy.

5. Establish Firm Boundaries

It's important to separate your work life from your personal life when you work from home. You should let close friends and family know when it is appropriate to interrupt your workday. Maybe you and your coworkers participate in a weekly 3 p.m. Wednesday Zoom meeting. During such time, it's important that your loved ones know not to interrupt you by walking into your workplace.

Similarly, you don't want work to invade your private life. If your job hours are 9 to 5, you shouldn't feel obligated to check your email, return calls, or finish up projects outside of those times. Keeping your sanity and avoiding exhaustion and burnout can both be helped by drawing clear lines between your work and home life.

6. Establish a Daily Routine

Maintaining a healthy work-life equilibrium requires establishing and sticking to a regular routine. A lack of a regular schedule might cause you to experience peaks and valleys of stress throughout the day, leading to acute exhaustion.

Perhaps before you started working from home, your commute in the morning helped you get into the swing of things at the office, and your travel home in the evening served as a welcome opportunity to wind down.

If you're tired of feeling like your life is out of control, try switching your morning commute for something more relaxing, like a cup of coffee and some time to catch up on the news or listen to a podcast. Developing a set of habits to follow first thing in the morning helps your body and mind recognize the start of a new workday. Establish a "winding down" session during the last hour of your workday to respond to any outstanding emails, complete any outstanding projects, and make a plan for the next day.

Reduce Remote Work Fatigue and Reclaim Your Life

If you stick to these strategies, you can cut down on the exhaustion that comes with working from home. You don't have to put in more time if you work remotely. Establish methods that suit your needs to strike a balance between your professional and personal life.