5 Ways to Avoid Burnout When you Work for Yourself from Home

5 Ways to Avoid Burnout When you Work for Yourself from Home Working from home has many perks such as flexible hours, avoiding being stuck in traffic, and increased career satisfaction and happiness.  If there is one disadvantage to working from home though, it would be that it is harder to separate your work life and your personal life as both often co-exist in the same space.  Although most people would agree that the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages, burnout is still a possibility for those who work from home.  In what follows, are ideas of ways to avoid burnout if you are working from home. Set work hours and stick to them – Although your hours may be flexible, it is still a good idea to set your hours and stick to them as much as possible.  When you have worked those hours in the day, then you are done your workday, and it is time to put work away until the next day.  Because you work from home, it can be very tempting to work long hours, but do not get stuck in this rut on a regular basis.   Treat your work hours seriously – When you set your own hours, sometimes your family and friends may not understand that just because you are home, that you are not available.  For example, just because you are home, does not mean that you are automatically the backup sitter if your sister's daycare worker suddenly calls in sick.  It can also be tempting to meet up with a friend for coffee, but if that coffee date turns into a two-hour visit, that is two hours gone during your workday.  Instead, plan for meeting with friends outside of your set work hours.   In addition, be sure that you are not running errands during your work hours for your spouse, or that you spend your time doing laundry and the dishes instead.   Furthermore, if you have young children of your own, make sure that they attend daycare during your work hours as it is next to impossible to get much work done when they also need your attention.   Because no one is watching you, it is also easy to waste time checking Facebook and email messages.  Be sure to limit your time with these activities.   Plan and schedule family and personal time – In the previous two points, we have discussed planning and setting your work hours.  However, you need to remember to plan and schedule the rest of your life too.  Be sure to plan family game nights and exercise sessions into your schedule.  Write them down or put them in your phone's calendar and be sure to follow through with them.   Plan rest periods during your workday – If you really like the work you do from home, then it probably does not even feel like work.  However, it is still important to give your body and brain a rest by taking breaks.  You may need to set a timer to remind you every two hours to get up and do something else.  A good break may be getting up and running on the treadmill while you watch your favorite television program.   Do not skip meals –  This seems like common sense, however it is easy to do when you are alone at home.  After all, a large component of meals is the socialization aspect, and there is no one to socialize with when you are by yourself.  There is also no cafeteria like you find in a lot of work sites, so you also have to prepare your own food at home.   By ensuring you eat healthy meals and snacks throughout the day, you are ensuring that your body is getting the right nutrients and energy it needs.   https://www.facebook.com/groups/frontlinecoachingllc https://www.facebook.com/productivenotbusy https://twitter.com/PNB_Podcast --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/wayne-weathersby/support Subscribe today and join a community that’s growing stronger every week. The Productive NOT Busy Podcast isn’t just a show—it’s your playbook for creating momentum, building confidence, and living life on purpose.