Working from Home in Your Graduate Job and Feel Burnt Out? Here’s What to Do

In light of COVID-19,  more businesses are expecting their workforce to work from home – especially new graduates in their graduate job.

In the early days of the pandemic, many employees viewed this as a positive as a result of being able to manage their workload, cut out commuting time and enjoy a more relaxing work environment in their own space. However, as the months have progressed, many graduates have realised that the novelty of working from home is starting to wear off and increasing demands mean they are on the brink of burn-out which could affect both their mental and physical health.

To prevent this from occurring, it’s good to be aware of how you can manage work from home:

1. Set working hours in your graduate job

Gone are the days when employees went to work between 9 am-5 pm and could switch off for the evening.

Nowadays, emails are linked to phones and tablets, so you never really get the opportunity to simply unwind from your day’s work and enjoy some downtime.

This can be extremely damaging to our mental health and may lead to stress, anxiety and depression. With this in mind, it’s essential to learn to switch off when your working hours have come to an end.

Developing a solid schedule will enable you to determine the hours you’ll be workig and inform your colleagues of the details so that your professional and personal life doesn’t blend into one.

2. Give yourself a break from your graduate job

When working from home, you can get so carried away with your responsibilities that you simply forget to take a break.

Just because you’re in your own space doesn’t mean that you should be available all the time.

Making time for breaks is one of the best things you can do to help manage work pressure.

It would be advised to take a screen break for at least 5 minutes for every hour to remain motivated and on task.

3. Get outside

When your working day has come to an end, get outside in the fresh air.

Research has proven that spending time outdoors not only leaves you feeling revived, but also boosts your happiness and general wellbeing.

When you’re feeling drained and lacking in energy, the last thing you may wish to do is go for a walk, but this will work wonders for your mental and physical health – so add it to your daily schedule. You’ll thank yourself for it later.

4. Stay connected with colleagues

While working from home, you may feel isolated as a result of being away from your colleagues, however, staying in touch is easier than ever before thanks to the developments in technology.

Communication can be achieved through video calls, emails and simply picking up the phone whenever you need a helping hand with tasks or a virtual social conversation at lunchtime.

If you’re still working from home and struggling to sustain a sensible work-life balance, we hope this guide has come in useful to help you stay sane until you receive your invitation to work back in the office!

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