Why It’s So Exhausting to Work From Home
Time works differently at home
If you’re a person who spent your pre-pandemic work life in a cubicle or office, right now is a good time to throw yourself into looking on the bright side: You’re not stuck at home; you’re free. This is what you dreamed about every morning and evening when you were stuck in traffic or jammed onto a crowded subway car. Yes, it’s all terrifying and apocalyptic right now — but at least you can sit in your pajamas all day! You can hang out with your dog. You can make a snack anytime you want, and you can eat it with the TV on in the background.
But how are you supposed to get any work done while all those episodes of Love Is Blind are calling to you and your bed is right there? And why are you so tired at the end of the workday when you haven’t even left the house?
I’ve been working from home for most of the past decade, so let me just reassure you: You will get your work done. With everything to stress about right now, don’t stress about that.
In fact, those of us who work from home often find ourselves overworking. We tether ourselves to our desks and stress ourselves out more at home than we do at work. That’s why it’s important to make sure we take care of ourselves and don’t burn out while working remotely.
The most important thing you can do while working from home is assert boundaries so that you aren’t working around the clock. Your boss cannot expect you to sit in front of your computer or be on Slack for 24 hours straight. If you try to do that, you will fall apart. Trust me.
Here are some principles to keep in mind as you adjust to these new circumstances.
Time works differently at home
If you think about your workday at the office, there’s a lot of wasted time. You’re visiting coworkers’ desks, hanging out in the common area, or goofing around. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve checked Instagram during the workday and seen my non-remote colleagues enjoying someone’s birthday by spending three hours at lunch.
So don’t feel bad about the 30 minutes you spent browsing the internet or searching for the perfect chair. You waste the same amount of time at the office. You just…
